White Legend
by Omnitrix 12
Summary: Another story from Balto Source. Find out how a wolf met a dog, and how a hero and a legend was born. Now includes some parts not put on Balto Source. Aniu/OC
1. The Legend Begins

This story is told from more than one perspective. At the beginning of each part a name is given identifying who's viewpoint it will be told from. The only exception is the Prologue, which is written in third person.

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Prologue:

Nina awoke, yawned, and stretched. Her mate, Sequoia, stirred next to her. She smiled and nuzzled him. "Oh, not yet," he groaned, pawing at the air in her direction. "It's too early."

Nina smiled. Even if Sequoia were the early-morning type, which he wasn't, he had been out late on a hunt the night before. 'Oh, I might as well give him some peace,' she thought. She headed to the mouth of the cave to take in the sunrise.

Her ears perked up as she heard whimpering ahead. Advancing, she almost stepped on a tiny white cub half-buried in the snow. She sniffed it. It was a girl, and she didn't smell like she might belong to any of the neighboring packs. But whoever's cub she was, she certainly didn't belong out here in the cold. Nina licked her and picked her up, bringing her into the cave. "Sequoia!" she called.

Sequoia stirred and stood up. Several members of the pack, also awakened by Nina's call, came over to see what was going on.

"Look," said Nina, showing them the cub. The little white wolf squirmed around on the cave floor, looking for a source of warmth.

"Where did it come from?" asked one of the wolves.

"I found her outside the cave," answered Nina.

Sequoia studied the pup. "She's very thin," he observed. "And she looks ill."

"What should we do?" asked somebody.

Sequoia looked grave. "I don't know what we can do. It looks like nature's going to take its course with her."

"No!" Nina blurted out. Everyone looked at her in surprise. Even though she was the alpha female, Nina tended to be quiet much of the time and was not prone to outbursts. Slowly she said, "What I mean is, shouldn't we try?"

Sequoia considered. "What do you suggest?"

Nina closed her eyes, thinking hard. "I want to keep her," she said at last.

All eyes turned to Sequoia. As the alpha male, he would have to decide about any newcomers. He shook his head. "She's not ours," he said.

"She's not anyone's," countered Nina. "She needs a home, and we have no children. Please?"

Sequoia looked at the pup. Then he looked at Nina. "Was there any sign of her parents?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No. There were no tracks at all."

He nodded. "Then she will be our daughter."

Nina smiled and pressed her neck against his. "Thank you, Sequoia." Then she picked up the cub and trotted over to a soft patch of dirt on the cave floor as the other wolves went off to go about their business. Lying down, she set the cub next to her. "Now," she asked, "What will we call you?"

As if in answer, the little cub let out a squeak that sounded like, "Aneeyu."

"What?" asked Nina, surprised by the prompt reply.

The cub didn't answer at first, but just as Nina had begun to think it had been a random bit of baby talk, out it came again. "Aniu."

"Aniu." Nina tried it out. It had a smooth sound, with an almost musical tone.

"Aniu?" asked Sequoia, coming over to them.

"It's her name," said Nina. "At least, I think it is."

Sequoia raised an eyebrow. "You think it is?"

"Aniu," burbled the cub.

"Well, she said it when I asked what her name should be, and she hasn't stopped saying it since."

Sequoia chuckled. "Alright," he said. "Aniu it is."

**Part One: Aniu**

My earliest memories are of Mama and Papa. I remember that whenever they could get away from their duties as the leaders of the pack they would play with me, running through the woods or rolling around in soft pine needles. Often on cold nights we would snuggle up together and they would tell me stories.

One evening I looked around at the other wolves as the pack bedded down for the night. I don't know how, but for the first time I realized something. "Mama? Papa?" I asked as I snuggled between them. "How come I don't look like you?"

Mama sighed. She seemed hesitant to speak. "Well, Aniu," she said at last, "You were adopted."

"Adopted?" I asked. I had heard the word before. Sometimes the other wolves would say it about me. But I had never managed to learn what it meant because they wouldn't tell me. "What's adopted?"

Mama and Papa exchanged looks. "Adopted," explained Papa, "Means that we took you in. You came from somewhere else."

I tipped my head. "Somewhere else?"

Mama sighed. "We're not really your parents. I found you in the snow one morning and we took you in."

I was confused. "You're not my parents? Then where are they?"

"We don't know. There were no tracks. We just found you out there one morning, right outside the cave. We…" Mama trailed off. "We didn't have any children, so we adopted you."

The words hit me like a trees falling down right in my face. I barely knew what to think. I stood up. "'Scuse me," I said, "I need to… get some air."

As I walked out of the cave, I could hear them talking. "Do you think we should have told her?" asked Mama.

Papa sighed. "I don't know. She seems to be taking it alright."

"That's what worries me. She barely reacted at all. It's like she wants us to think she doesn't care."

I shook my head as a tear leaked out of my eye. If only they knew what was going through my head. I felt betrayed, cheated, out of place.

"Maybe I should go talk to her," said Papa. I heard him get up and approach. "Aniu?" he asked. "Are you alright?"

Unable to help myself, I sniffled. "Yeah, I'm OK," I said. "But why didn't you tell me before that you and Mama weren't really my parents?"

Papa looked at the ground. "I don't know why we didn't tell you. I guess… I guess it was because in some ways we'd forgotten." He was silent for a long moment. "Does it really bother you?"

I looked at him as if he had just asked a fish if it would mind taking a trip to an eagle's nest. "Yes it bothers me. Mama's not my real mother, you're not my real father, this pack isn't my real pack…" I built up as my voice got more and more tense. After a tight pause I asked what every adopted child asks at some point. "Where is my real pack? Where are my real parents? Why didn't they want me?"

Papa pulled me in close with a paw. "I don't know the answers, and it kills me that I don't. But I do know this: whether or not I'm your real father, and whether or not Nina is your real mother, you will always be our daughter. And as long as we're here, you have no need to feel like you don't belong." He looked up at the sky, and I followed his gaze. "You see, family is about more than looking alike or sharing the same bloodlines. Family is about loving and caring for one another." He nuzzled me. "Does that make it any better?"

I still felt confused, but I smiled anyway. "Yeah, it does. Thanks Papa."

He seemed to buy it. "You're welcome, sweetheart. Now come. Let's go inside."

We went back to Mama and I lay next to her. She licked my forehead. "Are you alright, dear?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay." 'I've still got about a million unanswered questions,' I thought, 'But otherwise I'm fine.'

"Do you want to talk about it?"

I yawned. "Maybe tomorrow," I said, burrowing into her side.

Mama and Papa eventually did have pups, and at last I felt somewhat normal. True, I didn't have their full attention all the time now, but it was nice to be in a normal family with brothers and sisters. I changed a lot as time went on, growing into a strong and beautiful wolf. At least, everyone said I was beautiful. Every male in the pack certainly said so at one time or another. Several times a young bachelor would ask me to join him in a trip to Hokani Falls or go for a short hike to the top of Eagle Peak to look at the sunrise or sunset. I politely turned them down, although I would occasionally change my mind and agree later if they chose not to press the matter or hadn't already asked somebody else. The more persistent ones I just told no outright. One in particular was very annoying: a lone wolf named Kava, whom Papa had allowed to join the pack against his better judgment. He had black fur, shifty eyes, and smelled like sulfur. At least once a week he would badger me to go someplace with him. Eventually I learned to recognize the sound of his approaching footsteps and either left or told him, "No," before he could open his mouth. Thwarted, he took to bullying any other male who tried to speak to me. So for their sakes I stopped talking to them. I really wasn't interested anyway. Oh, they were attractive enough, but I just didn't have any desire to get romantic. I think perhaps it was because I didn't know what they saw in me. They seemed to think I was a star fallen from heaven, and for all I knew they could have been right. But whenever I looked into a pool of water and saw my face, all I saw was an unanswerable question: 'Who am I?'

One day when I was about three years old and out on a hunt, it began to snow hard. We decided that we would give up the hunt and get back to the cave before it got too bad to find our way. As we headed for home, I detected a scent I had never smelled before. It smelled like wolves, but different somehow. Driven by an utterly overpowering curiosity, I broke off from the group and followed my nose.

I have often thought about that decision, and there have been times I've wished that I had just stayed with the group. But most of the time, I wouldn't change it for the world.

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**Okay, it's not the greatest at the outset, but I wrote this years ago. Anyway, I decided since Aniu is a mystery to everyone else, she might as well be one to herself too.**

**Speaking of mysteries, I'm guessing the nature of this one is kind of obvious. But this is a good place to cut off anyway.**


	2. Lost

Now I'm sure you're all wondering, what did Aniu smell? Well just to be a jerk, I'm going to dawdle a little about that. Instead, let's meet our other character...

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Part Two: Kodan

It was cold. I don't know how cold, but it was too cold. The sled was almost buried in the driving snow, the musher was frozen solid, and my fellow dogs lay dead or dying around me. My friend Blizzard lay on top of me, frozen like the rest. He had died keeping me warm. And now, as I lay there freezing to death, it seemed his sacrifice would be in vain. 'Thanks anyway for trying, buddy,' I thought as I lay there shivering. I'm not sure why I directed it to him. He couldn't read my mind even if he was alive, and I was sure I'd be telling it to him in person pretty soon. But it felt good somehow to think any thought, and it was some comfort to think it at him as if he could hear it. I closed my eyes for what I thought would be the last time.

I don't know how much later it was when I sensed a presence and opened my eyes. All I could see was white. Then two yellow eyes and a black dot materialized, coming toward me. I tried to keep my eyes open, but the cold air forced them shut again. I heard voices, but snow had filled my ears and I couldn't make out what they were saying. I felt myself being lifted, but the loss of Blizzard's remaining heat made me black out altogether. Just before I slipped into oblivion, I managed to plead, "Do something for Blizzarrrrrd." Then I was dead to the world.

When I awoke, two hours later as I would eventually learn, I was in a warm place and I felt someone next to me. Opening my eyes, I dimly saw a snowy-white shape that slowly focused itself into a vaguely canine form. 'Where am I?' I wondered. 'Am I dead? Is that an angel?' I tried to ask, "Who are you?" but the white dog shushed me.

"Peace," it said. "Don't move. It's alright. Save your strength."

Too tired to do anything but obey, I closed my eyes. I felt the angel or whatever it was lie down next to me, and the last thought in my mind was, 'At least it's warm here.'

The next morning I awoke to see the white stranger sitting by my side. My head was clearer now, even if my eyes were taking their time, and I smelled that the stranger was a female. Noticing the lack of wings, I mentally scratched the angel theory.

"You are awake," she said softly.

I wanted to stand up, but I was too stiff. "Yeah. Where am I?"

"You are in the cave of the Bear Rock pack," she replied.

"Pack…" I said, trying to take it in with my brain still foggy. "As in wolf pack?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"Does that mean you're a wolf?" I asked. I could see better now, enough to know the answer before she said it.

"Yes," she repeated with a nod. "I am Aniu, daughter of Sequoia and Nina." She gave me a look that reminded me of my musher- firm and appraising. "And you are?"

"Oh, uh, Kodan," I replied. I have to admit I was a little scared. I'd heard a lot of bad things about wolves, and here I was alone in a cave with one of them. But then she couldn't be all bad, I reasoned, since I was still alive.

She stood. "You look like you could use a little fresh air. Want to come outside?"

Hesitantly I rose to my feet. "Yeah, sure." I followed her to the mouth of the cave and looked out at the snow. That was when something clicked in my mind. "What happened to the others?" I asked.

She looked at the ground, and I could tell even before she spoke that it was bad news. "Dead," she answered sadly. "All of them. My brother Khoros and I brought you here." She turned to look me in the eye. "You spoke of Blizzard as we were bringing you here. Was Blizzard your friend?"

I nodded, feeling a lump in my throat. "Yeah. He was lying on top of me to keep me warm."

"I'm sorry," said Aniu. "Blizzard was dead when we got there."

"He died saving me," I murmured slowly. I looked at Aniu. "Has anything been done for him?"

She shook her head. "No. You were so heavy it was all Khoros and I could do to bring you here."

Now I felt worse than ever. It wasn't bad enough that Blizzard had died to save my life, but thanks to me, he had been left out there alone. "How can you be sure?" I asked, not wanting to believe my friend was really gone. "He was still giving off heat. He might have been alive!"

Aniu looked me in the eye. "I know death when I see it. Your friend was dead, believe me."

I can't describe what it was like, but when she said it I knew with utter certainty that she knew what she was talking about. "Can I go see him?" I asked.

She seemed confused for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Yes, we can go now if you want," she replied. "I'll show you the way. But first, let's introduce you to my Papa."

Aniu's father was gray, but anyone could see it wasn't from age. He was lean, muscular, and at least a head taller than me. "Good morning," he said in greeting.

I nodded. "Good morning, sir. Um, thank you for letting me spend the night." I dipped my head to Aniu as well. "And thank you again for bringing me here."

"You're welcome." Aniu's father looked me up and down. "What is your name?"

"Kodan."

"I am Sequoia, son of Aram and Serai, alpha of the Bear Rock pack."

'Oh boy,' I thought. I didn't know much about wolves, but I did know what Alpha meant. For my purposes, it meant that one wrong word could be my last. I bowed my head. "It's an honor to meet you, Sequoia." After a moment I remembered the reason I had come to talk with him. "Your daughter, Aniu, has kindly offered to take me to where my companions are if you will grant permission."

He tilted his head. "Your companions?"

"The other sled dogs," I explained. "One of them died saving my life and I… well, I never got to say goodbye."

He bowed his head, which struck me as an odd gesture from a superior. "I am sorry for your loss, and I honor your friend's sacrifice. You may go at once. Aniu, show him the way."

"Yes, Papa."

As Aniu led me out of the cave, I was dazzled by the bright sunlight and almost walked straight into a large, black wolf. "Sorry," I hastily blurted.

The black wolf fixed me with an expression that suggested he had never seen a dog before, and wasn't at all happy to see one now. "What are you doing here?" he growled.

I searched my brain, which still behaved like it was half frozen, for an answer. Fortunately Aniu stepped in on my account. "This is Kodan," she explained. "He's a guest here, and he has full approval to remain as long as he needs to."

The black wolf looked from Aniu to me and back again, then walked away growling.

"Now there's a friendly guy," I remarked sarcastically.

"His name is Kava," explained Aniu.

"Your boyfriend?" I inquired.

She made a face that would have curdled milk. "Thank Heaven, no he is not."

I nodded. "I think I've seen him somewhere before. Under a rock. Maybe a worm or a leech, or a salamander."

To my surprise, Aniu smiled. There was a twinkle in her eye as she replied, "It must have been a worm or a leech. Salamanders are too cute."

In spite of the thoughts of Blizzard, I felt a slight tug at the corner of my mouth. 'At least she has a sense of humor,' I thought.

Aniu guided me to several piles of snow. I had to dig at a few of them to find Blizzard, and each dog I uncovered brought a painful wave of memories. We had been comrades. Teammates. Friends. But none closer than me and Blizzard. He'd been my buddy since the day I joined the sled team. Finally I found him, lying on his side where Aniu and her brother had pushed him off of me. It felt wrong to see a dog who had always been so energetic and full of life now so still. I didn't care that I was being watched. I wept anyway. "Goodbye, Blizzard," I said. "You were a good friend. I'm sure gonna miss you." I placed a paw on his shoulder as if he were asleep and might at any moment wake up and be his old self again. "You were like a brother to me. All the toughest parts of my life, you were there through thick and thin. You always had a joke or a wisecrack. Bet you'd get a real kick out of a blizzard doing you in, huh? You always did love the snow." I removed my paw and stared down at him. "They say all dogs go to Heaven. I don't know if that's true, but if there are any up there, I'll bet that's where you are right now." I choked. "Are you up there now? Are you watching me? Because if you are, I just want you to know that I love you, buddy. I love you like a brother." I brushed snow over his already snow-white body. That would have to do for a burial until the ground was warm enough to dig him a grave. "Goodbye, pal."

I felt a paw on my shoulder and turned to see Aniu standing beside me. Her eyes were shining just a little. "I'm sure he misses you too," she said softly. "And I know he would be glad you made it."

I wiped a paw across my eyes. "Thanks," I said. "I can't tell you how much that means to me." I went and brushed the snow over my other teammates. "I don't know what I'll do without them," I said.

"Well, you have our pack until you are ready to make the journey home."

I decided not to tell her just then that my home was hundreds of miles away, much too far for any dog to travel alone.

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Boy, really gets you, doesn't it? Poor Kodan just lost his master, his closest friends in the world, and now he's stranded with a wolf pack where at least one member hates his guts. What else could go wrong?


	3. The Outcast

**Sorry I took so long to post this part. When I originally wrote it, it took up less than two pages. Now it's more than double that.**

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Although Kodan had the consent of my parents, I knew the other wolves would not be easy. I suspect they were less responsive to him when I led him away from the dens, as if I were escorting him away from our pack's land and their ignorance would make him be gone that much sooner. But when they saw him coming back, their faces took on expressions of doubt. I didn't have to look in his direction to sense his unease at having so many staring at him.

My brother, Khoros, was the first to voice his doubts. "What is _he_ doing back?" he asked skeptically.

I stared right back at him, giving him a look one level below that which I used on Kava. "He's a stranger," I replied. "And his companions are all dead. You know that from last night, _brother_." I added the last word with emphasis, as I seldom did, to assert my authority on the matter.

"Send him on his way, then," someone else called out boldly. "It's no concern of ours."

I looked at the speaker, a she-wolf named Chena. "Khoros and I saved his life," I replied. "It would practically be murder to send him away now."

"Of course it would." I knew who that was without looking, and my face twisted in a scowl. "Of course it would be murder. He's weak."

All eyes turned to the black wolf, and he continued. "He's weak like all dogs, because dogs depend on _men._ So like us, yet they live as slaves, _lapdogs_ to the very race that is our only enemy!" Murmurings began among the gathered wolves, and Kava spoke louder. "How do we know this _dog_ is not a spy? He could easily be planning to betray us!"

"Familiar words, Kava."

All eyes turned as the new speaker came into the circle. It was Papa, of course, and the pack separated to let him pass. Papa, with Mama right at his side, walked straight up to Kava and looked him right in the face. Kava held his ground for a moment, firm as a rock, until I wondered if Papa would have to put down his insolence with a fight. But then he lowered his gaze, a sign of submission.

Papa's voice was hard. "I remember those same questions being posed by my own mate, Nina, when we allowed you into the pack. Is it right that I should let you, of all wolves, convince me to deny our guest the same mercy I showed you at the objection of my beloved?"

"Kava has a point," came a voice.

Everyone turned in surprise. It was Kodan, speaking out of turn. I realized later he had no way of knowing that to interrupt an Alpha without permission was a serious offense. Surely, though, he should have seen the carelessness of taking Kava's side in the matter.

All eyes turned to Papa, to see how he would take this breach of protocol. I could not miss the smug expression on Kava's face. If this violation of wolf law didn't win him the argument, what would?

I think Papa noticed it too, for he nodded after a moment to Kodan. "Explain yourself," he told him.

Kodan seemed to know he was on shaky ground now, but he spoke loudly and clearly, as one who had nothing to fear. "I'm not a spy, and I wouldn't think of doing anything to harm you wolves, especially after you saved my life. But Kava's right about one thing, I am not accustomed to life in the wild. I might be a burden on your pack."

I noticed several of the pack nodding at this. Among them was Khoros, and my heart sank at seeing him side against my friend.

Papa acknowledged Kodan's argument, but overruled it. "We care for our sick, our wounded, our offspring," he reasoned. "A pack survives because the strong aid those who are not strong."

Kodan nodded. "Still, sir, I request a chance to prove myself. Perhaps a race with one of your pack?"

Mama and Papa exchanged a look. "Very well," agreed Mama, looking back at our guest. "If any wish to race you, they may."

"I accept!" cried Kava almost before the sentence was done. He swaggered up to Kodan and leered at him. "You don't stand a chance, dog."

Papa cleared his throat. "That remains to be seen," he said. "Now, stand by that rock over there." He pointed his nose towards a boulder about the length of ten wolves away. "Run to the tree where the hawks nest by the river and back here. Gaak and Lipgat will follow to ensure both of you run the full distance."

Everyone's eyes were on the contestants as they walked over to the boulder in question. I was worried about Kodan. He was clearly at a disadvantage: he had no way of knowing where the tree was, and he was probably still weak from his near brush with death. If he lost this race, and to my dismay he probably would, it would be just the opening the rest of the pack would want to make him the new Omega.

The two took their places by the boulder, lined up between Gaak and Lipgat, our two fastest wolves. All four of them crouched, ready to run.

"Ready to lose?" asked Kava, leering in Kodan's direction.

Kodan ignored him, but he almost jumped when Papa threw back his head and let out a long, deep howl. The three wolves took off, but Kodan practically stood there for a whole three seconds before racing after them. My stomach sank as they left the clearing with Kodan well behind and apparently losing ground.

Khoros was quick to move in once the four were out of sight. "He's out of his league," he remarked.

I shot him an angry look. "Be quiet!" I snapped. "It's not as if you volunteered to race Kava, or Kodan for that matter."

"Of course not," he replied. "I don't want to embarrass him just because he's a dog."

I shook my head in disgust, glowering at the gray-furred wolf to whom I spoke. So much like Papa on the outside and yet so different now. I suppose I felt some bias toward Kodan; I mean I had saved his life. But here was Khoros, the closest of any of my brothers and the same one who helped me save this dog's life, talking about him behind his back like some kind of misbegotten outcast. "You are so narrow," I all but spat.

We continued to argue for several minutes, and there's no need to say much of what was said. I will say, however, what came at the last.

"Look," Khoros was saying, "I think Kodan is perfectly fine for a dog, but he's too confident. I mean he's taking on _Kava, _for crying out loud, right after he almost froze to death. I really don't think…"

"They're coming!" someone shouted. All eyes turned toward the end of the clearing, but no one expected what was coming. Out of the trees came…

Kodan? Yes, it was him alright, leading the way. A short ways behind him were Gaaks and Lipgat, with Kava in the rear. The last of these, however, had a determined glint in his eye, and we could see him making headway towards Kodan's position, closing the gap until I could scarcely tell who was in the lead.

"Run, Kodan!" I shouted, caught up in the moment. "You can do it!"

To this day I will never know why I shouted out so. It certainly wasn't fitting of my position. It seemed to have some effect though, for Kodan surged forward and reached the boulder at least half a length ahead of Kava.

"He won?!" cried Khoros in disbelief. "I don't believe it! He won!"

I ran forward to where wolves were gathering around the four runners, all of them standing there panting for breath. Kava was clearly the worst off, looking about ready to collapse. He glanced my way, but I ignored him as I walked up to my friend.

"How did you do that?" I asked of Kodan. "You were losing when you left the clearing."

"Correction," he replied cheerfully. "I was _behind,_ not losing. I only ran fast enough to keep them in sight for the first half of the race. Then, when they were getting tired, I lifted the brake and let 'em have it."

"Lifted the break?" echoed someone. "What the heck does that mean?"

"It's on a dogsled," he explained. "It's, uh… well, never mind. Point is, I went really, really fast while they were tying to get their second wind."

Gaaks and Lipgat looked at each other, then at the ground in embarrassment.

"Don't worry," said Kodan, "I only won because I paced myself. In a real all-out race, I'm sure you guys would have beaten my tail off." Then he glanced in Kava's direction. "And you," he added, "You really have…"

"Shut up," growled Kava, slinking away.

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The problems with everyone judging Kodan were far from over. If anything, it became more sharply defined. Some became more hostile to him. Others did not seem to know what to do with him, and a few actually seemed to admire him. But when it came to conflicts, it seemed even his admirers did not wish to defend him, so I took it upon myself to guide him around and ward off any would-be antagonists. To this day I am not entirely sure what it was that compelled me to do so. It wasn't quite pity, for he did not seem to me like someone who needed sympathy from others. He was outgoing, not at all reclusive, and it seemed as if he could stand on his own under any circumstances at all.

As I expected, Kava was the definite leader among Kodan's persecutors. He tried to come up with lies about Kodan having no respect for our laws, and almost managed to make him the victim of a mass assault once. But most of the pack saw through this charade too. Kodan was a fast learner, and never repeated an offense or failed to apologize once it had been pointed out to him. Kava even went so far as to challenge him to a fight on more than one occasion, but Kodan politely backed down, saying that it would be rude for a mere dog such as himself to go up against even the least among wolves, much less a "worthy opponent" like Kava. I was amazed at his tact. I certainly wouldn't have called Kava a worthy anything. Clearly, Kodan was either the most polite or the most cunning canine I had ever met.

Then one day as winter drew towards spring, I noticed him looking fixatedly at the diminishing mounds of snow, and particularly at one patch where bare ground had started to show. To my surprise, he looked worried. His eyebrows were drawn together, his lips and tail were down, and his ears sat back at an angle. I always enjoyed this particular change of seasons, and not just because it meant more food would soon be available. This season always seemed to bring a sense of relief, as if something had been suppressing the sun, the plants, the trees, and that oppressive force was now being driven back like a marauding bear. But Kodan looked uncertain, almost afraid or angry, as if the new season was the marauding bear.

I walked up to him. "Is something wrong?" I asked.

He nodded slightly. "The snow's melting," he answered.

I smiled, partly from happiness and partly from confusion. "Don't say it like it's a bad thing."

He did not seem as cheery as I did as he looked at me. "This is going to sound weird, but could you take me back to where my team died?"

'_What?'_ I wondered. _'Why would he want to go back there?'_ I myself had made a point of never going near the place. It bothered me, after hearing him talk about Blizzard, to think of him and the others, and their master besides, to think of them dying the way they did. I had seen a dead wolf once, one of our own that was killed hunting a moose, and the awkwardly bent neck and sightless staring eyes had haunted me for weeks after.

"Why?" I managed to ask.

He shrugged. "There's something I have to do," he explained vaguely. He took a few steps away, but didn't look away from me. "You don't need to come if you don't want to," he added, as if sensing my dislike of it. "I'm pretty sure I know the way."

I shook my head. If he could handle it, so could I. "I'll come."

We went to the place, and I was relieved to find that the remains had not yet been exposed enough to show any eyes. Neither, to my surprise, had they been eaten by scavengers, as Kodan observed out loud with obvious relief. Then, to my surprise, he turned his back to one of the bodies and began to dig at the snow in front of him, tossing it onto the dog's exposed back.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

He looked up at me, seeming confused that I was confused. "I'm trying to keep their bodies frozen so they won't rot until I've had the chance to bury them," he explained.

"Bury them?" I asked. The only time I had seen anyone bury a corpse was when wolves, including myself, buried the remains of a meal for later dining. "You're not going to eat them, are you?" I asked, shocked.

"What?!" he asked, turning toward me with his eyes scrunched and his ears forward. "Eat them? What are you talking about?" Then his eyes opened with realization, and he quickly shook his head. "Oh, nothing like that. I'm actually going to bury them so they don't get eaten."

I was baffled.

He sighed as if he were bothered. "When a human dies, they put him in a box, dig a hole in the ground, and put the box in the hole," he explained. "That way, no scavengers can get to it. Some of them do it with dogs too."

"Why?" I asked, thinking it was no wonder some wolves didn't like dogs if all dogs thought this way. "Why go to all that trouble for someone who's dead?"

"What would you think of being left for the bears?" he replied.

I shuddered. Logic like that allowed no disagreement. "Have you been meaning to bury them all this time?" I asked.

He nodded. "Until the ground is soft enough," he replied, moving to another corpse. "I'll wait until summer if I have to."

I was touched by his dedication. "When my first brothers and sisters were born, two of them were born dead. I forgot about them by the end of the week," I confessed.

"I'll bet it took your parents longer," he noted.

"Yes," I nodded. "But you treat these dogs, who have been dead for months, as if they were your own family."

"Well, you could say they were," he answered. "I don't really have any family back in Nome." His face clouded over. "Blizzard did, though. His mate and pups are gonna be devastated when he doesn't come back."

For some reason I found myself wishing that Kodan wouldn't have to go back to Nome, which I guessed to be his hometown. I liked him. He was honest and considerate, a loyal friend, and his sense of honor was unlike anything I'd ever seen among wolves. When he hunted with the pack on occasion, he always went after an old animal, never a young one, because the young ones "deserved a chance to grow up." Other wolves laughed at his logic, but I could see reason in it. After all, the older ones were soon to die anyway, but the youngsters were only just getting started. Besides, older prey meant more meat per animal. As strange as some of his practices were, I found him to be a good companion. But as of yet I had only gained the merest glimpse of who he really was. There was more to come, much more.

It came one night as I was wandering by myself under the moon. It was a nice kind of loneliness, with just the moon and the stars and I. I got thirsty, so I went to the river to have a drink. There was ice, of course, but so thin that I could break it with just a tap.

The sound of the water must have drowned out the sound of approaching footsteps, because I didn't hear Kava until he was almost right beside me. "Hey, princess," he said in my ear.

I was so startled I almost screamed. "What do you want?" I asked, backing up. I had been enjoying the solitude and had no interest in Kava's attempts to court me.

"Oh, nothing," he said with a shrug. He looked up at the moon. "Nice full moon, isn't it?" he asked. "And the stars are lovely tonight."

I snorted. "You expect me to buy that kind of junk from you?"

He smirked. "Hey, you buy it from that weakling Kodan, don't you?"

My ears slid back. "Not the way you're thinking, I don't," I snarled. "And I won't stand for you talking that way about my friend." I tried to leave, but he stepped to the side to block me.

"Hey, hey, easy there, princess. There's nothing wrong with wanting to enjoy a nice chat with the prettiest wolf around, is there?" He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck from side to side. "Look, there's gonna be a big hunt tomorrow, and I was thinking maybe you'd like to go with the best-looking guy in the pack."

I felt my lips beginning to part, showing a slight hint of tooth. "I might if you would kindly direct me to him. I've told you before, I will tell you again: no. Besides, you know my father decides who's in what group, not me."

"Yeah, but you could talk to him about it."

"Good point," I said. "I'll be sure to ask him to keep our groups as far apart as possible."

Kava growled. "Very funny."

"Who's joking? Now please leave."

"Who's gonna make me?" he asked, taking a step closer.

"Kava," I warned, bristling. "Don't push me." I was pretty sure I could take him on in the unlikely event that he tried anything. And whoever won, I knew that any damage he did to me (or vice-versa) would be nothing compared to what Father would do to him if he laid a paw on me.

As it turned out, though, the fight never took place. A snarling blur shot out of the woods and struck Kava in the side, knocking him into a patch of brambles. I blinked and stared in disbelief. "Kodan?" I asked. Gone was the calm, easygoing dog I knew. In his place was a snarling fighter whose raised fur seemed to double his size.

"Maybe your ears aren't working tonight," he growled at Kava. "She said to get lost."

"What's it to you, dog-breath?" Kava snapped, trying to shake the stinging plants out of his fur.

"It matters to me because Aniu is my friend," Kodan growled. "Now either move it or find out just how 'weak' I am."

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**Hoo boy. Looks like Kava might just get that fight he was asking for (in both senses). I can't look...**


	4. Something Stinks Like Sulphur

**Hoo boy. Looks like Kava finally found Kodan's red button. Let just hope that the husky's not biting off more than he can chew, or Kava might do likewise.**

**Part 4: Kodan **

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You know how sometimes you get into a crazy situation and end up doing stuff you never thought you'd do? Well, that's what happened. I was following Aniu, hoping to play a joke on her, and then I looked through the bushes and saw that creep Kava bothering her.

I didn't know what came over me at that moment. I mean, I'm a sled dog. Not a fighter. Never a fighter. I would probably back down from a kitten. But when I jumped out and crashed into Kava, I could see by the look on his face that, fighter or no fighter, I had surprised him. Surprised, and angered. I might have even scared him a little. Or a lot. His fur was bristling, his eyes burning like some monster. "And just who do you think you are, getting in my way?" he demanded.

I narrowed my eyes. "Someone you do not want to mess with." If I hadn't been so caught up in the moment, I would have been surprised that my voice could sound so ferocious, so… hateful. "Now either get out of here or get ready to fight."

Kava stood up. "Okay," he growled, testing his claws on the ground. "I've been waiting a long time for this." He looked about ready to attack when a voice stopped both of us cold.

"Kava! Kodan!" It was Sequoia, stepping out of the shadows. "What exactly is going on here?"

Kava jumped in, pouring out his story. "I was just talking with Aniu, asking if she wanted to be in the same group for the hunt tomorrow. Then Kodan jumped out of nowhere! He was going to attack me, honest!"

"That's not-" I started to protest, but Sequoia cut me off with a sharp glance. Then he stared hard at Kava, and if I thought the look he gave _me_ was sharp, the one Kava got was a razor.

"I have ears, Kava. And 'I've been waiting a long time for this' doesn't exactly sound innocent. Anyway, you know that grouping arrangements are decided by me."

Kava was as quick as a whip with another lie. "Yeah, I know. I just, uh, wanted to see if she liked the idea before I asked you."

Sequoia shook his head and then fixed his gaze on me. "Kodan, what do you have to say about this?"

"It's all a lie, sir," I protested adamantly. "Kava was out here bothering Aniu, so I stepped in to stop him."

Sequoia nodded. "So, it all comes down to Aniu." He looked at her. "What happened?"

She edged away from Kava, ears back, tail low, eyebrows knit. Every inch of her body seemed to radiate contempt for him. "I was out here for a walk when Kava came up and asked me about the hunt tomorrow. I told him I wasn't interested again and again, but he kept on pressing the matter. Then Kodan stepped in, and then you arrived."

Sequoia nodded. "Very well. It's their word against yours, Kava. I would like to have a word with you." The way he said it, I knew it wasn't going to be a pleasant experience for the black wolf.

Sequoia turned and walked away. Kava followed, stopping long enough to snarl at me. "Listen, you," he uttered under his breath, "Aniu is…"

"Kava," called Sequoia, the second syllable an octave higher as if to emphasize the warning. Kava growled and loped away.

Looking after him, I muttered, "Definitely leech." Then I turned my attention to Aniu, who was staring after them with a look of relieved contempt. "Are you alright?" I asked. "Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm fine." She smiled a little. "I don't think he really planned to do anything. Sometimes he tries to frighten me, but despite all appearances he's got enough sense not to actually touch me. Either that or he doesn't have the brainpower to cook up anything rotten."

"I'm betting on the second one," I commented.

Aniu laughed. "Maybe. He tried stealing a kiss from me once and, well…" she rolled her eyes to the side. "Let's just say that for a while one of his eyes was even blacker than normal."

I was stunned. "You gave him a black eye?" I asked, mouth hanging open. I had never harbored any delusions about Aniu being helpless, but personally I found it easier to picture a rabbit getting into a fight.

"It was nothing next to what Papa did when he found out. That was the last time Kava ever tried to steal a kiss from me."

I nodded. "Well, I'm glad I was able to help, even if you weren't in any real danger."

"Yes," she said with a smile. "So am I. Thanks."

"Anytime," I returned the smile. "Care for an escort back to the cave?"

She smiled. "Sure." We walked in silence most of the way back. The only further conversation was when she said, "I owe you one, Kodan."

I shrugged. "Hey, you saved my life. I just got Kava off your case for a while. If anything, I still owe you."

It wasn't easy for me to sleep that night. I lay on the far side of the cave from where Aniu slept by her parents, and try as I might I could not stop looking in her direction. But where my eyes were on her, in truth I was looking at myself. At least, I was looking at my behavior. What I had done was completely unlike me. Oh sure, I stuck up for other dogs when I saw them being abused, but I never got into fights over it. It wasn't my style. And to be honest, I had to admit that sometimes I felt a little chicken about it. But I would never take a dog, or a wolf, up on a challenge to a fight, let alone make the first strike. So why had I just done that very thing less than two hours ago?

Observing Aniu's white fur, I was reminded of the one other dog whom I _might,_ just _might_ have been willing to fight on account of: Blizzard. Him I'd have laid down my life for, him or any of his kids. But he and I had known each other all our lives. Our dads had been pals; we grew up together like…

Brothers! Maybe _that_ was it, I thought, looking at Aniu's sleeping face. Maybe this was what it was like to have a sister - something I had missed out on, being from an all-male litter. After all, she and I did everything together. And being in this new place was kind of like starting a new life, so why not start it with the sister I never had?

I smiled as my head sank down and my mind drifted into slumber, pleased by the novelty of the idea. If only the dogs back in Nome could see me now.

We started out early the next morning on the hunt, all gathered in one group. I noticed, with no surprise, that Kava was on the far side of the pack from Aniu, with Sequoia close by and maintaining proximity. _All the better to pounce if he makes a false move,_ I thought, noticing the way that the alpha shifted every time Kava moved, maintaining a constant barrier to the black wolf's line of sight. It occurred to me that Sequoia was being so discreet about the blockage that, had I seen it only a few months ago, I would have been completely oblivious. Being with the wolves had sharpened my perception to almost on par with theirs. The other dogs had often spoken of wolves as a lesser, savage species with limited intelligence and no sense of society, but now it seemed the opposite was true: if anything, we needed to learn those things from them.

I turned my gaze to Aniu. If anyone could teach, it had to be her. More than just explaining or demonstrating, there was the fact that somehow she seemed to just… _know_ things. It wasn't a skill she flaunted, but more than once I had seen her nuzzle a packmate, only to find out later that said packmate was experiencing some inner conflict. Or she would pinpoint the whereabouts of prey, even if the wind was against us. I had asked her how she did it once, and she just shrugged. "It's all a matter of cues," she had explained. "The whole world; every tree, every animal, every snowflake, is part of a story. I just follow the patterns." I had asked her to teach me, and she had tried. But aside from picking up a few clues, I was lost.

I had to break off the train of thought just then; Sequoia was listing groups for everyone to go into. Kava would be hunting with him and two other wolves, a dubious "honor" under the circumstances. We would travel in a cluster heading upwind, due east, in search of a scent. Once we were as close to the prey as he saw fit, different groups would break off to either side and fan out around the animal before drawing the circle tight like a snare. Aniu and I were in the group that would stay centered, approaching from the rear and cutting off its retreat. Ideally, we would be on it before it realized it was under attack.

I stuck close to Aniu as we set out, while Sequoia kept Kava right at his flank. Kava's tail hung a little lower than usual - wolves generally run with their tails sticking out more or less level behind them - a sign, I took it, of his displeasure.

I, on the other hand, could hardly have been in higher spirits. The wind through my fur like a stroking hand. The harmony of the pack as we moved in silence with a grace and coordination that would have made any sled-team jealous to watch. The scent of pines and snow and small animals in my nostrils. This was life.

Then a brown wolf beside me hissed something to Sequoia, who responded by lifting his tail in a signal and coming to a stop. He looked at the younger wolf. "What is it?" he asked.

"I smell something," the young wolf replied. "A little to the north, I think."

Sequoia sniffed and nodded his approval. "Yes, a moose. Alright, let's move in quietly."

We continued on, each of us moving as silently as owls in flight. The moose's musty, rank odor grew stronger every minute, until I guessed it was about twenty yards ahead. It was then Sequoia silently signaled us with a flick of his ears, and without so much as a yip we separated into our groups.

I have to say, the latter part of a wolf hunt was not something I would ever have called my forte. Not that blood or raw meat bothered me, at least not after the first few meals. No, I was bothered by the slowness. I like to move fast, run hard, give it everything I've got. But for wolves, the last part of a hunt is a slow, tense process, where the only real rush is moving in for the final blow. After my time spent with the pack, though, I had learned to enjoy the suspense, to study every detail of the prey before killing it. So it was that as we approached the bull moose from behind, I saw it was somewhere in the older range, most of its life already lived even without our involvement. But its battle-scarred hide showed plainly an abundance of muscles underneath. We weren't the first predators to try to take this bull down, and it would be no minor struggle to ensure that we were the last.

I couldn't see or hear the other groups, but I knew the plan well enough. The sub-packs would circle to either side of the bull, using wind and terrain to hide their scent from it until the final group, Sequoia's, moved directly in front. When that happened…

And then it did. I saw the moose turn its head from the branch it had been browsing on, snorting angrily and twitching its ears. Without even having to check, I detected wolf on the wind. Sequoia and his group were ready, which meant it was time to advance.

With a pounce, we emerged from our hiding places, presenting the moose with a ring of teeth and bristling fur. It let out a bellow, turning this way and that to find some way out of the circle of death. Everyone stayed alert, watching for a chance to leap and get it by the windpipe, but also wary of a sudden charge.

Then disaster struck. To the front of the bull, Kava leapt and made a grab for its throat. He missed, and fell right in front of the creature. The moose backed up snorting from this attack, then saw him there momentarily vulnerable. With a wild bellow of panic and rage, it reared, ready to crush him with its hooves.

Without thinking, I leapt forward and clamped my jaws down on the bull's hind leg, my teeth puncturing skin and driving into bone. With a furious cry, it jerked and spun, missing Kava completely. It threw me off with a kick, sending a piece of its hide with me. I couldn't see what happened next, but by the time I picked myself out of the snow, the bull was on its side, kicking feebly as three wolves hung onto its windpipe and others swarmed over it, weighing it down like so many bags of rocks.

As soon as the beast was still, Sequoia called a halt to the hunt. I was confused, even more when he turned his attention on me.

"Kodan," he said severely, "That was the most foolish thing I've ever seen."

I didn't know what to make of his sudden burst of ill temper, but I backed up both from his gaze and the eyes of all the pack, some surprised, some confused, and others derisive. "I'm sorry, sir, I only…"

His focus intensified. "Don't you dare apologize, Kodan. You just saved the life of one of my wolves, and for that you have my thanks."

That changed the looks all around. Several jaws hung slack, especially those of the wolves who had been derisive. Kava, who I think had been glad he wasn't the one getting yelled at, seemed most surprised. "Wait a minute. This _dog_ did _what?"_

Sequoia turned to him. "Kava, when that moose was about to trample you, Kodan grabbed onto its leg and distracted it at the risk of his own life."

Laughter sparked, then spread among the wolves like fire in dry wood. Kava was completely stunned. "Impossible!" he blurted. "My life saved by a measly _do_-"

"You owe this dog your life right now," Sequoia cut him off. "And now hear this: I will tolerate no further abuse of him. Anyone who mistreats or even speaks ill of him will answer to me."

I could have died on the spot. I wasn't some big hero, I just bit the thing's leg! It was basic decency to do something like that under the circumstances. But I had to admit I felt some pleasure when Sequoia turned back to me and smiled. "Well done, husky. You are an example to wolf and dog alike."

Howls rang throughout the clearing, but I noticed two were not howling. One was Aniu, who stared at me in confusion. The other was Kava, who was glaring at me in abject hate.

Aniu stalled her questions while we ate, but she caught up to me later when I was alone. Most of the pack had laid down and were now sleeping off their meal, and I was close to slumber myself when she nudged me. "Why did you help Kava?" she asked. "You could have been killed."

I sighed. How could I explain something so basic? "I just did," I admitted. "It's the same for any husky, at least any good husky. You see someone in trouble, you help them out. Wouldn't you do the same?" Then as I looked in her pensive eyes, I thought of the siblings she had mentioned. _Or maybe not,_ I thought.

She shook her head. "It's not that way out here," she insisted. "The pack is only as strong as its wolves, and a weak wolf weakens the whole pack. Besides, Kava hates you."

I thought about that. "My dad once told me something," I related to her. "He said the easiest way to get rid of an enemy is to make a friend. Maybe that would work on Kava."

She thought about this. "Maybe," she admitted, still sounding doubtful. "I have to admit, I'd like it if someone could do _something_ about him. There's something… _wrong_ about him, like he's up to something."

I shook my head. "You're just saying that because he wants to be your mate," I said, dismissing her doubts.

I felt a little guilty as I watched her face drop, and a little disappointed as she turned. "Perhaps," she confessed, walking away.

I considered going after her, but the warm meat in my belly was lulling me to sleep. Surely I could make it up to her later after both of us had slept it off.

If only I had known how right she was.

That night I couldn't sleep, thinking about the events of the past twenty-four hours. First rescuing Aniu, then saving Kava's life. The irony was so thick I could break my teeth on it. But why did he hate me so much for it? Confusion I could understand, but hatred? I had saved his life, and now he seemed madder than ever.

I got up. Maybe some fresh air would clear my head. Taking a careful look at the wolves sleeping spread out on the cave floor, I made my way gingerly to the entrance. Outside, the moon was full and the air was fresh. I took a deep breath through my nose, filling my lungs and savoring the crisp sensation of cold air down my throat, the nighttime aromas of pine, wildlife, the river not so far away, and… Kava?

I turned my head. Yes, there he was, walking away from camp in a strange pattern. He scarcely showed up against the dark patches of turf, only here and there appearing against a patch of snow. Then he turned to look back, and without knowing why right away I hastily ducked back into the shadows of the cave mouth. After a moment, I saw him turn and continue on his way. That was when it dawned on me that he was keeping off the snow for a reason: he wanted to be sure no one would know he was sneaking off. But why? Mulling over theory after theory as he vanished into the trees, I began to track the wolf.

After some time, he reached a clearing surrounded by bushes. Seeing no other cover, I hid in these to watch what would come next. I peered out and saw Kava talking with another wolf who was also midnight black, but bigger and more muscular. I noticed that the other wolf had a scar curving around his left eye. It looked inflamed, almost diseased, as if the wound had been brushed with some poisonous plant.

"I don't know how much more dawdling I can take," Kava was saying with the tone of an exasperated youngster. "I say we should just storm them. Our pack is stronger than theirs."

"No," snapped the other wolf. His voice was cold, hard, and had the kind of tone that made you wonder if the guy ever smiled. "We will stick with the plan. You must gain control of the Eagle's Bluff pack, and you must do it through tactics and diplomacy. Undermine Sequoia's authority and secure the loyalty of those most significant and most willing. Then, when you inherit command of the Black Claw pack, all their lands will be ours as well."

'_Traitor!'_ I wanted to shout, but resisted. Either one of those wolves looked tough enough to turn me into a rug in no time flat. If I let the two of them know I was on their trail, I was dead meat for sure. So I lay still, hardly daring to breathe. What else were they up to?

"But why wait?" protested Kava. "Why not simply declare war now? We have the greater numbers, so how could we lose?"

"Kava!" the other wolf all but shouted. He seemed to grow bigger, and loomed over Kava as the younger wolf retreated from this intimidating display. "I trust there is no need to remind you that you will _only_ inherit my rank _if_ I decree it. If you cannot learn to fight and conquer by more than mere brute force, you will never be my heir. Am I clear?"

Kava bowed his head. "Yes, father."

"Good. Now, what of your efforts with Sequoia's daughter?"

My eyes widened. _'Aniu?'_

* * *

**Oh, boy. That can't be good.**

**Sorry for the long break in writing. More chapters of my other in-progress fics to come.**


	5. The Boiling Point Approaches

**Sorry to leave you folks hanging for so long. And now, let's find out what's been happening to our canine hero and heroine.**

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**Part 5: Aniu**

"Aniu, wake up."

I opened my eyes to see two silhouettes staring at me. "What…?" I started to ask, but as quick as a flash one of their paws was over my muzzle. I was surprised at first, but as my eyes adjusted I recognized the figures of Papa and Kodan, both with an urgent look in their eyes. Kodan, seeming for all the world as if he had seen a ghost, gestured that we should go outside. Then he and Papa left the cave, with me behind them in complete confusion.

Once we were a good distance away, Papa turned to me, his eyes more focused and serious than I'd ever seen anyone's, even his. "Kodan has told me something very important. Our pack is in grave danger. Especially you."

I looked back and forth between them, confused. "What danger?" I asked.

"Well," Kodan explained, "I wasn't able to get to sleep, so I decided to get some fresh air and clear my mind. But I heard Kava talking to another wolf. They were discussing plans to take over the Eagle Point pack."

"What?" I asked in disbelief. Kava, planning a takeover? He certainly had the nerve, but to plan something so audacious without us knowing it seemed beyond his mental prowess, to say nothing of his skills at subtlety.

"It seems," Papa clarified, "that Kava was not as alone when he came to us as he claimed. He is the son of Amarok, of the Black Claw pack. He infiltrated our pack and has been secretly gaining support. His plan, or rather his father's plan, is to ultimately gain control of us entirely."

I was stunned. I couldn't fathom how any would follow someone like him. "But you said that _I_ was in especially great danger. Why me?"

"Kava hopes to win you so as to make his infiltration easier," Papa explained.

I let out a derisive snort. "Well, that part won't work too well," I said. "I'd sooner die than be his mate."

Kodan looked me firmly in the eye, instantly melting my defiance into dread. "Based on what they said, I suspect you'll have to eat those words."

I gasped. "What are we going to do?"

I could see in Papa's eyes that his mind was racing. "They don't know that we know; that's our only advantage. We must be wary and warn those who are still loyal to us. Meanwhile, Kava is to be watched."

"Why don't we just get rid of the skunk now?" Kodan suggested. "We throw him out, he loses his support, end of story."

Papa shook his head. "We might solve the problem of Kava that way, but not Amarok. I have had dealings with him before. Once he sets his eyes on a prize, he does not give up until he has achieved it. If they lose their spy, they will attack us outright. And we are not numerous enough to withstand a direct assault. If we tried, especially if he has been plotting for some time, we would all be killed..." he fixed his eyes on me and added, "Or worse."

Those two words terrified me more than anything ever had or ever would. "So what's the plan?" I asked.

Papa looked at Kodan. "You said that Amarok wants to avoid open war if possible, right?" Kodan nodded. "Good. Then here is what we'll do. Kava has no idea that we know what he's up to. We can use that against him by seeing to it that he learns nothing useful and perhaps by giving him some false information as well. We will send messengers to the neighboring packs and ask for their help." He paused, and I could tell the next part was difficult for him to say. "And Aniu, I know the idea is an awful one, but let Kava think you are weakening. Be as tolerant as you can without promising anything, and hopefully the diversion will allow us to work more freely."

I grimaced at the thought of actually pretending to like Kava, but I agreed for the sake of the pack.

"I've got an idea," Kodan suggested. "When you send the messengers, make sure he knows they're gone. Make a big scene of their absence."

Papa and I looked at Kodan in surprise. "Have you completely lost your mind?" I asked.

"Not at all. I never said he would know where they were going. If wolves start disappearing for no reason, he'll assume that they're deserting. He'll relay that to Amarok, and they'll expect to have an extra edge in numbers when we challenge them. And if we can gain the support of the neighboring packs…"

Papa beamed his approval. "Excellent! That's just what we'll do. Now then, is everyone agreed?"

Kodan and I nodded. "Let's do it," I said, although I was still not happy about my part in the plan.

Kodan seemed to sense my discomfort. "Sir," he addressed Papa, "If you have no objections, I would like to make a request."

Papa tilted his head. "You wish to follow Aniu and Kava to ensure all goes well?"

Kodan, much to my surprise, nodded. This dog was either the most audacious I had ever met, or a slow study at protocol.

Papa nodded firmly. "Granted. Now, I must go decide whom to send out first." He must have seen the confusion in my eyes, for he added, "You two may talk if you wish, but be quick. You need as much sleep as you can tonight, or Kava's suspicions could be aroused." And with that, he turned and re-entered the darkness of the cave.

I looked at Kodan, my ears back in confusion. "Why would you watch?" I asked. "Don't you know what Kava would do to you if he caught you spying?"

He shrugged. "Tear me to bits? Make me disappear? Arrange for a hunting 'accident?'" He shook his head. "I don't care. You're my friend. I don't want anything to happen to you. Kava..."

I cut him off. "Kodan, I know I saved your life, but this is..."

"Not about that," he interrupted. "Aniu, you're my friend. I can't let anything happen to you, and no one deserves to be alone with Kava if there's no one to hear." Glancing at the cave where the rest of the pack slept, he added, "Besides, I saved his life the other day. If he had died in that accident, none of this would be happening."

I couldn't help myself. I had to smile, crisis or no crisis. "You did the right thing," I told him. "Maybe it's not working out the right way, but that's not, and never will be, your fault."

He returned his eyes to me, and I have never seen such gratitude.

"Thank you," I finally said. "I would be glad to have you keeping watch."

He smiled then, and proceeded to give an exaggerated bow, his chest and nose flat on the ground. "Aniu, daughter of Sequoia and Nina, Kodan is at your service."

I could not help myself; I laughed. It would be the last real laugh I gave for some time.

When I woke up the next morning, it seemed as if the night before was just a dream. I wandered around as Papa assigned the morning patrols. Taro, the beta, took the east border. My brother Khoros headed north, and two lesser wolves had south and west. They chose companions except for Khoros, who said he had a lot on his mind and wanted to be alone. They headed off, leaving the rest of us at our leisure. It didn't take Kava long to head my way.

"No, Kava," I snapped out of habit, cursing myself even as the words escaped. Kava, giving me a barely concealed look of frustration, stopped.

"Princess," he inquired, "I'd like to talk with you a moment."

I was glad not to be facing him as I swallowed hard and forced a look of indifference. It was the best I could manage. "Yes?" I asked, looking toward him.

He smiled in what he must have thought a very handsome way. In truth he looked like a wolverine. "Since we both have the day free, thought perhaps you would go with me on a short... excursion?" He tilted his head as he said the last word, together with a slight nod as if he were answering for me.

I was about ready to bail out of this whole insane plan when I saw a movement behind him. _'Kodan,'_ I thought, and this time I did manage to smile. "I suppose that would be... acceptable," I conceded. "And please, call me Aniu."

Kava looked as if I had stolen his tongue, and the mere thought of it made my smile the more genuine. "Come, the day is young."

It was a struggle not to shudder or scowl as Kava came alongside me and gave me a once-over I could _feel._ It felt much the same as it had smelled when I was sprayed by a skunk as a cub, as if I would never be clean again. I was only able to console myself with one thought: Kodan was watching over me.

Kava lead the way through a number of locations. Some were scenic places, most of which I remembered other suitors taking me to. Most of the landmarks, however, were his bragging spots, places he had pulled off some impressive feat or other. It came as no surprise that he boasted at every spot. I almost lost my temper more than once, but each time Kodan was somewhere in sight, his face reminding me of the need. If I failed, we would lose our diversion and he might discover the truth. Certainly he would resume his efforts to take over the pack, and we needed every loyal wolf we could have. Otherwise, the pack was doomed, and I was certain Kodan would be the first to die. I couldn't let that happen, couldn't dismiss that kind of loyalty. So, for his sake, I kept up the act.

I was very relieved when we returned. The other wolves were standing around, jabbering like ravens when an eagle flies by their nest.

"What's going on?" asked Kava.

Taro answered. "Khoros didn't come back from patrol. He's gone."

"He is?" asked Kava, and either he was putting on a remarkable act or he truly was confused. "What happened?"

"Sequoia sent out a search party, but all they found were his tracks. He joined with another wolf – female by the scent of the tracks – and headed off through the Red Sun's territory. They say it looks as if the two were heading for the unoccupied lands northwest of here."

"Huh," huffed Kava, sounding as if he disapproved my brother's audacity. "And usually it's the omegas who leave to start their own packs. Guess you never can figure, eh Prin- um, Aniu?"

Taro raised an eyebrow, either at the fact that I was allowing Kava to speak so familiarly to me or that I was enduring his all-too-obvious look. Or both. "Apparently not," he remarked under his breath.

Khoros did not return, and two nights later Tamar vanished as well, amidst a flurry of speculation. Some noted that she had been very sullen and rebellious toward Papa, others said that she had gone to look for Khoros. Kava, meanwhile, persisted in taking me places whenever he had the chance. It surprised me little, though it disgusted me much, that as our time together grew, so did his confidence, as I learned quite unnervingly one day as we sat atop a mountain. I was looking out over the land, knowing that for the sake of the act I should be looking at him and fearing that if I did I might vomit in his face. I settled for looking at the land spread below us and pretending to enjoy the view while I secretly watched for any sign that help might be coming and the end of Kava's scheme might be near. It was then that I felt his hateful body nudge alongside mine – a contact I hated with every fiber of my being.

"Hey, Aniu," he whispered even though I was sure he thought we were alone. His voice had a mischievous, conspiratorial tone to it. From any other wolf, I would have thought he was planning some prank. From him, there was no telling.

"Hm?" I asked, looking at him.

"You ever stop to think that once your folks are gone this could be all ours?"

I stared at him, not needing to fake my shock. Was he actually asking me to be his mate? I'd rather throw myself from the mountaintop. "No," I admitted quite honestly, "I never thought of that."

He nodded slowly, a crafty smirk spread across his face. "I mean, I wouldn't want to capitalize on your parents' hurt, but with the uh... disappearances, wolves are starting to talk. They say your dad's not what he used to be, or your mom."

I lost my facade. "My father and mother are every bit the leaders they always were," I snarled, not trying to hide my scowl.

"Oh, of course," he agreed as if he had been saying that all along. "I never said they weren't, I'm just saying that's the word around. But if there's dissent in the pack, maybe it would be better if we had, you know, a backup plan?"

This time I could no longer fake it. Even with the pack's interests in jeopardy, I had to draw the line. "My parents will handle it," I insisted, walking away. "They don't need help from us."

I could feel his eyes burning into me from behind, but I don't think he meant for me to hear his next words.

"We'll see about that."

After Kava's suggestion I was desperate to vent to someone. So as soon as I saw Kodan back at the dens, I excused myself to talk to him. Kava was not pleased.

"What would you want to talk to that... _dog_ for?" he spat.

I painted on a coy smile to mask my irritation. Even if I were pleased with him, which I wasn't, he hardly owned me. "Actually," I answered, "It's about you."

"Really?" he asked, drawing his head back and blinking in surprise.

I nodded, thinking quickly. "It's a surprise for you."

He smiled eerily. "Really? Well I hope it's a good one."

I turned away to hide my expression as the false smile broke. "It will be."

I bumped into Taro on the way to my friend. "Keep Kava busy," I whispered, knowing he was now aware both of the traitor's plan and ours. "I'll explain later."

He nodded back and uttered back, "The sun is up and the river has risen."

I knew what he meant; contact had been established with and returned from the neighboring White River and Red Sun packs. What they had said I did not know, and for the moment it could wait. With the black wolf off my back, I walked up to Kodan. "We need to talk," I muttered under my breath. "About..." I glanced to see if anyone was listening before returning my attention to him. "...the plan."

He nodded solemnly. "I understand. Let's go."

We headed off into the woods, making for a rarely-visited part of the territory. Rocky terrain reduced foliage, and therefore prey, to a minimum, but few of the hollows were suitable for sleeping or birthing dens. We found a spot on one of the snow-covered boulders, high enough to give us a good vista of the surrounding area.

He spoke first. "Had to get away from Kava?"

"Yes!" I exclaimed, the word coming out as though it had been underwater and was desperate for air. "I thought Kava was bad before, but now that I'm encouraging him he's completely insufferable! Even from him I can't believe some of the advances I've had to endure."

Kodan nodded. "Believe me, I saw. I wanted to kill him for some of those comments he made about you myself." After a long pause, he added in a more somber tone, "If it's any comfort, you put on a convincing act. I was almost fooled, once or twice."

I noticed he twitched as he spoke, as if he was deeply agitated. "Don't worry," I assured him. "Given the choice I would rather die than let him touch me again."

His eyes grew wide. "Don't say that!" he nearly snapped. "I know he's bad, but I don't want you talking about it that way."

I was surprised by the outburst. "I'm sorry," I stammered. "I didn't mean to upset you."

His eyes were wide, upset, almost desperate. Then he managed to recover his composure. "I'm sorry," he said, lowering his head. "I know I shouldn't yell like that, especially now, but please don't talk that way."

"I won't, I promise."

"Good." He looked me in the eye then, and his expression was serious but not severe, the way I had sometimes seen Papa talk to Mama about something important. "Aniu, you're the best friend I have in this pack. Maybe the only one. It... bothers me when you talk like you're thinking about killing yourself."

I have to admit I was touched by his dedication, over-blown as it was. "Not your only friend," I assured him. "My parents think very highly of you, and so do several members of the pack."

He shook his head. "Your folks, maybe. I could even believe that the beta, Taro, thinks I'm alright. But the others..." he shook his head, gazing down and a little to one side. "I see it in their eyes, Aniu. They look at me like a lot of humans did back in Nome, like I'm some kind of pet or maybe a really talented young pup. They think I'm good, and they know I saved Kava's life. They recognize my value, but I don't know if they'll ever see me as a real equal, a member of the pack."

I smiled then, and on the spur of the moment I stepped forward until we were almost nose-to-nose, looking each other directly in the eyes. "I do," I told him. "Whatever happens, I believe in you. I always will."

He took a deep breath and looked away. "Thanks. I hope I can live up to that."

That night, Taro disappeared.

I have no idea how much time passed, or how many events. It felt like years that I had to endure Kava's affections, ranging from shady and even outright obscene remarks to his endless leaning on me and nuzzling me at every opportunity. He took great delight in regaling his circle of friends with boasts of his "conquest" in winning my affections, leading me to wonder if perhaps death really would be preferable to enduring this wretched beast. Only two things kept me from going off the deep end. One was the news, passed along secretly from Papa, that the alphas of the White River pack and the Red Sun pack had agreed to meet with him to discuss our peril. The other, and greater, source of encouragement was Kodan, who reassured me constantly that I was doing well and that he appreciated my friendship and sacrifice. How well I remember the last of our secret meetings out among the rocks.

"Aniu," he said to me, apparently as anxious as I was to talk of something else, "I know I've said this before, but you've been the best friend I could ever want. That's why I want you to be the first to know..." he trailed off and looked away shyly.

"Know what?" I asked, tilting my head curiously.

"That I'm not leaving the Eagle Point Pack. Ever."

I blinked. Not leaving? I had been certain he was going to leave eventually. Oh, I had wished it were otherwise, I might even say hoped, but only as one might wish to have wings and fly like a bird, knowing full well that it cannot happen. No serious thought of him remaining with us had ever entered my mind. "Are you certain of this?" I asked hesitantly.

He nodded, seeming earnest, excited even. "Completely. I've never been more sure of anything in my life. This place, this whole way of living. I've fallen in love with it all, Aniu. And you most of all. You are the best friend I could ever dream of. I never thought I would say this, but you mean every bit as much to me as Blizzard did."

As flattering as such high praise was, I couldn't take it lying down. "But the rest of my pack hates you," I protested. "I can't let you go through a life like that."

"You can't stop me," he retorted. "I don't care what the other wolves think, I like it here. And somehow I know that if I left this life behind, if I went back even for a short while, I'd regret it forever."

I hesitated. I valued Kodan's friendship, and I had been displeased at the notion of seeing him go. But some part of me doubted that he really belonged here. The pack had certainly benefited from him, but was the reverse true? I knew from what he told me that dogs tended to live longer than wolves because they got better food and something the humans called medicine. How could I be satisfied with him taking the lesser life? Still, it was his choice as long as my parents were content to have him here, and I doubted they would tire of him any time soon. "Alright," I agreed, "If that's your..."

Nearby someone cleared their throat. "You two are getting careless. I walked right up to you and you didn't even see me."

We turned in surprise. "Taro!" Kodan blurted.

"Why have you come here?" I asked.

He took a deep breath. "The alphas have held their council of war. Tonight we trap Kava, and deliver our message to his miserable excuse for a father."

That night, as he did every week, Kava met with his father. "The deserters still have not come back," he reported happily. "And Aniu is treating me like a prince. I am sure any day now she will announce her devotion to me."

"Excellent," said Amarok. "Do you know what has brought about the change?"

"No, but what does it matter? Soon the Eagle Point pack will be ours."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," growled Kodan, stepping out of the shadows. "The game is up, Kava. You lose."

Amarok whirled around, looking startled at first, then distasteful. "I assume this is the dog you mentioned?" he asked, turning to Kava.

Kava snarled. "He certainly is."

Amarok shrugged. "Well, you know how to deal with a breach of security, don't you?"

Kava bunched his muscles. "With pleasure," he growled.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," said Papa, stepping into the moonlight. "You have broken the trust between our packs, Amarok. I assume you realize this means war."

"Ha!" laughed Amarok. "Not if I kill you now. Then your pack will belong to me anyway."

My fur rose up in anger as I watched from hiding, but Papa remained perfectly calm. "It would be a sad error of judgment to think you have the advantage right now."

"The sides are equally numbered here," spat Amarok, "And even the cubs in my pack are more than a match for your pet dog."

As if by signal, the pack came out of hiding and surrounded them. "Perhaps, Amarok," suggested Kodan as I came to stand next to him, "You should learn to count better before you say that."

Amarok's face twitched with surprise, but he regained his composure. He did not lower his ears or stick his fur out to look bigger, didn't even brace himself for a charge. He just stood there as calmly as if her were admiring the scenery.

"Now," announced Papa, "I am sure you realize that under the Code of the Wolf, I have as good a right to both of your heads as any wolf ever had against another."

There were growls of assent from the pack. I couldn't tell under the fur, but from the expression on his face I guessed that Kava was probably turning pale. Amarok, on the other hand, stared back at us all in unwavering defiance. "Try it if you dare. You will soon pay when my pack finds out."

Papa narrowed his eyes. "I wasn't finished," he continued. "I will deal mercifully with you for now. Kava, under the terms for dealing with spies you will remain here as our prisoner. Amarok, you will be allowed to go free, with a message to your pack. The Eagle Point pack hereby declares war on the Black Claw pack for spying and attempted usurping. Since I know you keep secrets even from your own pack, any who had no knowledge of your scheming and do not wish to be involved in the fight will be given the chance to before the battle, and they shall go free. You and all who stand with you will pay for your intrusion. Those are the terms."

Amarok considered. "Alright," he said, "I accept your demands. Kava is yours to do with as you will."

"Father, don't leave me!" protested Kava. But he was met with a stony gaze from Amarok.

"No failure like you is any blood of mine. You are no longer my son or a member of the Black Claw pack." And with that, he trotted away through the gap that was made for him in the circle. Beast though he was, I felt sorry for Kava.

At the edge of the woods Amarok turned back. "You can't win, Sequoia. One day your pack and all your territory will be mine." And he disappeared into the trees.

"He will prepare his pack for an assault," Sequoia predicted as he turned to the rest of our pack. "We meet the Black Claw Pack tomorrow at dawn!" Then he focused an angry gaze on Kava. "I should kill you now for trying to meddle with my daughter, but I will honor the agreement with your father." He rattled off the names of five or six wolves and ordered, "Keep this excuse for a wolf confined until further notice. Make sure he is uncomfortable."

* * *

**Well, it's official, ladies and gents. The packs are on the brink of war, the gloves are off, and now Kava knows (or soon will know) that Aniu was conning him all along.**

**And on that note, let's go to a break. Merry Christmas, everybody!**


	6. The Battle is On

**Good news: the Eagle Point pack has just succeeded in capturing a traitor in their midst. Bad news: now they have to take on an entire pack of backstabbers.**

**This day just gets better and better, doesn't it?**

**

* * *

**

**Part 6: Kodan**

Kava was imprisoned in a small cave, which was then barricaded with large branches weighed down with rocks. There were gaps big enough for air and food, and snow was pushed through to provide him with water, but no space was big enough to escape. Just in case, a watch was posted on the cave day and night. We tried to question him but got no answers. Speaking of which...

"What _is_ all this?" asked a gray wolf as he pushed the last rock into place.

"A big misunderstanding!" protested Kava. "I'm not a spy, I just...!"

Sequoia cut him off with a snarl, thrusting a toothy muzzle toward the traitor's improvised cell. "Save your lies for the judgment rock," he ordered. "Everyone heard what went on. Taro, is the pack assembled at the dens?"

The beta nodded amidst perplexed stares from those who had helped us imprison Kava. "Everyone is there," he affirmed.

"Good." Sequoia walked away from the place without so much as a glance at Kava's prison. "You four," he instructed, "Stay here and make sure he does not get out. If he breaks so much as his head loose, you know what must be done. Taro, you're in charge. Kodan, Aniu, come with me."

We fell into step just behind him and on either side in a formation like an arrowhead. "I'm proud of both of you," Sequoia told us with a smile in his voice. "You showed remarkable courage by what you did to keep Kava unaware."

Aniu's face was sour, as though she didn't want to be reminded. "I was just... following orders, Father."

Sequoia shook his head. "You know I would not have forced you to do it," he replied soothingly. "No cause, however great, would be worth driving you to indulge him without a right to say no."

I flashed her a reassuring smile. "He's right," I told her. "You did it because it was right."

She glanced at me, then looked away, saying nothing.

By now we had reached the meeting place outside the dens. Sequoia walked to the base of a slanted slab of rock which he used when speaking, then looked to Aniu and I. "Come," he commanded softly.

I was stunned. Wolves, and dogs for that matter, equate altitude with authority. The Speaking Rock was reserved exclusively for alphas, no one else. "But, but..." I protested.

"You have earned the honor of accompanying me. The pack will know what you have done, both of you."

With a reluctant glance at each other, we followed him and assumed positions behind him on the rock, still lower out of respect.

Sequoia's voice boomed as he addressed the pack. "I know you have seen what happened, but let me explain. Kava is indeed the son of Amarok. He was sent to us, pretending to be a lone wolf, in order to undermine our pack and make us vassals of the Black Claw pack."

"How?" someone interrupted.

Sequoia's dark expression deepened. "He sought to conquer us by winning my daughter, Aniu. Since she resisted his advances, it is likely he would have taken drastic measures if he had not been found out. It was Kodan who followed him by night to a meeting with Amarok and overheard their entire plan."

This caused a great deal of surprised conversation among the wolves as he turned his head and looked right at me. "Come up here, Kodan." Looking behind to his other side, he added, "You as well, my daughter."

We tentatively stepped up beside him, still just a little behind him as he continued his speech. "Since this discovery, Aniu kept Kava occupied while the supposed deserters, who are now among us once more, recruited help from the Red Sun and White River packs. And Kodan, on top of providing brilliant counsel for Aniu's diversion, risked death at the traitor's jaws by watching over his excursions with Aniu to ensure no harm was done. Without them, we would have been taken unawares and likely overcome. But with their help, we stand a fighting chance tomorrow. We owe these two our lives!"

As the meeting broke up, Aniu and I jumped down to our preferred level. At once I found myself confronted by Khoros, and felt a strong wave of uncertainty wash through me. Khoros and I had not gotten along that well, and I was certain he would not take kindly to a foreigner, and a dog at that, receiving such honor.

My uncertainties were well-founded. "I suppose I owe you my thanks for looking after my sister," he said tersely, emphasizing the "owe" slightly as if to be clear it was not a debt he relished. "Thanks."

I nodded and lowered my head in a gesture of respect. "It was my duty," I replied. "My duty and my privilege."

His expression firmed. "You did it well," he acknowledged grudgingly, and turned to leave.

Some of the other wolves were more gracious. I shouldn't have been surprised that they would be excited over me thwarting such a serious threat, but the way some of them carried on and pressed me for details, you would have thought I fought off an entire enemy pack by myself. "It's not over yet," I told them, talking over the hubbub. "I only blew their cover. Tomorrow they'll be after us in force, and we need to be ready."

"He's right," added Taro, who had climbed up onto a rock where he could be seen and heard by everyone. "The real battle begins tomorrow, and we'll all need our sleep. Back to the cave."

Sleep would not come easily, I thought as I lay down among the wolves. I half-wondered if it had been wise to do as I did. Now that the plot had been laid bare and Kava was our prisoner, lives were in serious danger. Would it have been wiser, I wondered, to try to defeat the Black Claw through tact?

Once again I found myself looking in Aniu's direction. Her spotless white fur seemed to reflect her innocent spirit, and I knew I had made the right choice. Tomorrow, I would join with the pack to ensure that no one, not that sleaze Kava or anyone else, hurt Aniu. I resolved, as I lay my head down and let sleep take me, that I would fight like ten wolves to protect my friend.

* * *

"You will not be in this battle, Kodan," Sequoia told me before turning to Aniu. "And neither will you."

"What?" we asked in unison.

"I object!" I burst out, forgetting for the moment that I was addressing an alpha.

"So do I!" put in Aniu.

Sequoia looked at her, his ears leaned back with concern. "Wars are ugly business when females are sent to fight, especially young ones."

Aniu looked flabbergasted. "I'm not a cub anymore, and I'm not afraid! I can fight, and I should!"

"A cub you may not be, but you are still young. And I never said you were afraid. But it is best when the males go to war. Such is our custom. Besides, you're my eldest child, my heir. I can't put you at risk. If I fall, you must still be around to lead the pack."

"Mama is in the fight!" protested Aniu. I thought about pointing out to her that using words like "Mama" wasn't the best way to win this kind of argument, but I decided to let it drop.

"Your mother wishes to fight beside me, and as my co-ruler she has that right. You, on the other hand, are still under our authority, and she and I have agreed that you will not fight." Looking at me he added, "As for you, Kodan, I don't doubt that you would fight with honor. But you must also stay out of the battle. You are a guest, and I cannot ask you to fight our war."

I spread my paws and looked him right in the face to show I wasn't afraid. "Then make me a member of the pack so I can fight!" I insisted.

He considered. "Very well," he agreed. "I will give you a part."

"Anything, sir!" I barked eagerly.

"Wait a minute…" protested Aniu.

"I haven't finished," he said. "Kodan, it will be your job to make certain that Aniu stays out of danger. As a member of the pack, you are now under my direct orders to ensure your own safety as well as hers at any cost. Make sure that neither she nor you enters the fray, no matter what happens.."

I felt like an idiot. _'Should have seen that one coming,'_ I thought. But I had agreed to do whatever he told me, and I could certainly think of worse jobs than guarding Aniu. At least it hadn't been boring so far.

"And Aniu," Sequoia added, "As the oldest of my children, it will be your job to lead the pack if your mother and I fall in the battle. Then it will be your time to fight if you must." He looked deep into her eyes. "I am giving you a great responsibility. Don't waste it."

She bowed her head. "Yes, Papa."

He nodded. "Good. Now, get to a safe place. You may watch the battle, but you must not get involved. Stay out of the fighting at any cost!"

"Come on, Aniu," I said. "He's in charge, and he is your father. Let's head to that hill, where we can at least see what happens."

She nodded, but I could see from the look on her face that if any harm came to her parents, I would be risking my life if I tried to stop her from entering the fight.

'_So be it,'_ I decided. I would never forgive myself if she were harmed, even if preventing it would mean that _she_ might never forgive me.

The Black Claw Pack came charging over the hills like a wave of fur, ready to attack. As Aniu and I watched, I could literally feel the vibrations from her growling as they crossed the one-foot gap between us. "Relax," I told her. "They'll be all right."

"You don't understand," she said. Her voice was drawn tight with fear and worry. "You don't understand what it's like to face losing everyone you have."

I shook my head. "Aniu, I already did."

Amarok let out a howl of fury as he charged, with his entire pack behind him. I couldn't count them because they were moving too quickly, but the numbers didn't look good.

He pulled his pack to a halt. "Sequoia!" he shouted. "You have kidnapped my son! Now I have come to avenge your insult!"

Sequoia stood at the top of the hill flanked on either side by wolves from our pack. "Amarok, you sent your son to spy on us, and to steal my daughter. When we caught him in his treachery you surrendered him entirely to us. Today, you will pay the price for your intrusion. I promised that anyone with you who was unaware of your treachery would be spared. I repeat that promise now, where your pack can hear it directly. Anyone who surrenders now will go free unharmed. If you do not, I swear by the sun above us that before it sets, you will all die."

Even from my distance, I could see the whites of Amarok's eyes as their lids shot upward. "It's a trick!" he snapped. "If you go, he'll pick you off like caribou separated from the herd!"

"Give up in peace, or die." Sequoia spoke as calmly and unwaveringly with these enemy wolves as he had with Aniu and me. His very voice carried more weight, more emphasis, than the words he was saying.

"Any deserter will be instantly killed!" threatened Amarok. "Don't listen to him!"

Apparently most of his pack knew him well enough to guess the true trickster. A third of the wolves broke off and fled to the hills on one side or the trees on the other. "Get them!" screamed Amarok. Several more wolves sprinted after the deserters, unaware that we had forces of our own planted in both places. As long as the runaways reached a place out of sight from the main Black Claw pack, they would be fine. Their pursuers would not be so fortunate.

As we had hoped, Amarok interpreted the yelps of terror and pain he heard as coming from the deserters. "Who else wants to run off?" he asked. Nobody answered. "Attack!" he shouted, running forward.

"Forward for honor!" howled Sequoia, as his small army charged too.

The sight of the clash was hideous. Teeth and claws flashed, and the air was filled with more cries of pain and fear than I want to think about counting. Wherever two wolves met, they merged into a whirling blur of fur and teeth, clawing at faces, jumping at throats, and butchering any body part they could get their teeth into. I watched, keeping an eye out to either side.

At first it looked as though the Black Claw pack would win. But then as they began to press back our side, I saw two waves of powerful, furry bodies coming out of the places where the deserters from Amarok's pack had fled to. The reinforcements were coming and, to my surprise, so were some of the deserters. "Aniu, look!" I shouted. "We have some new members! The deserters are on our side now!"

But she was deaf to my excitement. Her eyes were affixed to two dueling pairs of wolves in the midst of the fight. Her parents were locked in a deadly battle with Amarok and a she-wolf whom I supposed to be his mate. Amarok faced off with Sequoia for a moment, then leaped back to doge a lunge. In the process he momentarily raised his front half in the area, and Sequoia moved to attack the exposed underbelly. But Amarok must have guessed he would to that, because he sprang over Sequoia and brought his head down, tearing at Sequoia's scalp.

"Papa!" cried Aniu in alarm.

"It's time to stop worrying about them, Aniu," growled a voice behind us.

We spun to see Kava's sick, smug expression. He was flanked by eight or nine wolves, all of them from our own pack! "…and start worrying about me," he sneered.

* * *

**Uh-oh. Why do I get the feeling this is about to go south really, really fast?**


	7. Trap Within a Trap

**You waited for it, you earned it. The riveting climax of the battle between the packs.**

"How did you break out?" I demanded.

Kava chuckled. "I still have a few loyal followers in your pack, Aniu. And your father, fool that he is, put those very wolves in charge of my prison during the fight!"

I bristled at the insult, ready to tear him limb from limb. "Don't you _dare_ say that about my Father," I hissed through my teeth.

Kava laughed. "Worry about yourself, sweet stuff. By the time I'm through with you and your boyfriend, my parents will be done with your dear mother and father. Then, with them weakened, my followers and I will move in and finish them off, claiming our victory over your pack, and mine."

I was horrified. This wolf would kill his own parents to satisfy his ambition? "You monster!" I spat.

He laughed. "Don't waste your time trying to sweet-talk me, Aniu. First I'm going to get rid of your boyfriend, and then I'll decide what to do with you."

I hunched my shoulders and puffed up my fur, but Kodan stepped in the way. His fur stuck out so straight that he fairly seemed to have doubled in size. "For the record, I am not her boyfriend. But I swear if you lay a paw on her, I will tear you apart."

"Oh, how heroic," sneered the excuse for a wolf. He jerked his head in a signal. "Take them."

Our former pack members surged forward. Kodan met them head-on, grabbing one by the throat and heaving him into another. "Run!" he shouted. "I'll hold them off!"

"No!" I jumped forward to join him, but he kicked me away with his hind legs.

"Sorry, Aniu, but your father ordered me to keep you out of the fight!"

I stared at him. He was managing to hold his own against Kava and the traitors, but I could see it wouldn't last forever. "Come on!" I yelled. I ran, followed moments later by Kodan.

"Sorry about the kick," he said as he came up alongside me.

"I'll be alright," I assured him. "Listen, I know a way we can get rid of them, but we have to fall off a cliff."

"What?"

"There's a cliff nearby with a snowy ledge partway down. We can land on that and pretend to be dead. When they come down by the trail to make sure, we'll take them by surprise and knock them off the ledge."

He grunted. "Let's do it."

We sprinted for the cliff. "We have to make this convincing," I told him. "We'll stop at the edge and pretend to fight back."

He gave me a sideways look. "Pretend, huh?"

I smiled in spite of myself. "Somehow I get the feeling that if you weren't a dog, or if I weren't a wolf, we'd end up mates."

"Well, well, well," chuckled Kava, catching up with us. "Now you've got nowhere to run, you little rats. And at such a convenient place, too."

As far as I knew, Kava had no knowledge of the ledge. I was praying inside that this wasn't another case of him knowing more than he let on.

"Toss the mutt of the edge," he ordered his followers. "Aniu has given me a lot of trouble, so I think I'll finish _her_ personally." He emphasized this remark with a look that sent chills through every atom of my soul, and I knew that what he had in mind would be worse than actually throwing myself to my death.

The wolves charged. "Split!" I yelled. Kodan and I jumped to either side, and three of them went over the side. The rest stopped in time, except for one whom Kodan managed to knock over while he was off-balance. At first, it seemed we might not have to resort to my plan at all. But then they converged on Kodan and threw him over.

"No!" I howled in dismay. The ledge, at only about a wolf-length and a half wide, was so narrow that could easily miss it from being forcefully hurled over the edge. Both Kava and stared down as my friend miraculously landed in safety. He twitched a couple of times, then lay still.

"One down…" Kava chuckled. Then his evil eyes locked onto mine. "And one pretty lady to go…"

I didn't let him finish. With a howl, I leaped over the edge, aiming for a landing right beside Kodan. The impact hurt even with the snow to cushion me, and I wondered if Kodan was still in condition to fight. I lay still beside him, allowing my legs to twitch as if I were dying.

Up above, I heard Kava snort. "Come on. We'd better make sure they're dead."

I opened my eye just wide enough to see him leading his pack down to us by way of a narrow ledge connected to our wider one. "Get ready," I whispered to Kodan, praying he could hear me. I would have been relieved to hear anything, but I could not have hoped for a better answer.

"Dibs on old sulfur-breath," he hissed back.

Kava stopped and sniffed at me. Seizing the moment, I rolled onto my feet and struck him a blow across the face as hard as I could, driving him back several feet. "You're not the only one who knows how to act, Kava!" I spat. Out of the corner of my eye I could see another wolf doubled up with pain from a two-footed kick Kodan must have planted in his stomach. Kodan rammed him with his skull, knocking him against the rock wall behind us.

"Get them!" ordered Kava. But we had the advantage now. Most of the traitors were still on the narrow path and could only come one at a time. So while I fought them off, knocking one after another over the edge before they could swarm us, Kodan faced off against Kava.

**Oops, sorry. You'll have to wait a little more. Not to worry; the next chapter will contain a twist guaranteed to blow you away.**


	8. Battle Won and Love Begun

**Okay, so now they're fighting on the edge of a cliff. What could go wrong?**

* * *

Kava and I circled each other, both of us snarling and bristling. I could see saliva dripping from his mouth and wondered if he might be rabid.

His eyebrows met as he spoke. "It's over, mutt. You will die, and Princess over there is as good as mine."

"I don't think so," I spat, hunching in preparation to leap. "I don't see any reason I shouldn't rip you apart right now, but I'm going to give you one last chance to surrender."

"Never!" he shouted, leaping forward.

I ducked under his lunge and reared back, butting him in the stomach. He somehow managed to catch his teeth in my back, and the two of us tumbled together. There was a moment's scuffle, which I can only dimly remember as a whirl of claws and teeth clouded by a haze of blood. It ended with me on my back, Kava standing over me with his teeth bared and sides heaving.

"This ends now, dog!" he rasped.

Without thinking, I did the only thing I could. I rolled to one side, causing Kava to roll with me. Off me.

Right. Over. The edge.

To my dying day, I will never forget the howl of rage and terror that left his throat, fading as he plunged into oblivion.

The other wolves, seeing their leader defeated, quickly turned tail and fled. Aniu and I gave chase, but as soon as they reached the top they scattered and left us no choice but to let them go.

"Papa will hunt them down later," Aniu noted. "We have to get back to the battlefield."

We returned to find the battle still in progress. The numbers were fewer on both sides, but Aniu's parents were still locked in deadly conflict in the middle against Amarok and his mate. Blows were exchanged in both directions, but it didn't take a pack healer to know that Nina and Sequoia's wounds were worse, and more numerous.

"We've got to do something!" cried Aniu.

"No," I answered. "Your father…"

"Will die if we don't help!" she cut me off. "We have to help!"

"Aniu, I understand your worries. But we must have faith." I gestured to the traitors we had captured. "If we can catch this many wolves, don't you think your parents can handle those two?"

As if I had jinxed them or something, Sequoia and Nina simultaneously fell, struck down by heavy blows from their aggressors. All the other wolves stopped fighting to watch as the Black Claw alphas advanced. Aniu tried to run forward, and in the heat of the moment I had no choice but to grab her by the tail and hold her back. She turned and growled at me, but I held on. "There's no point in you getting hurt too," I told her through clenched teeth.

As we watched, Amarok and his mate stood over their victims. I could see even at a distance that Sequoia and Nina were still breathing. Then, as the fiends opened their jaws to finish them off, Sequoia and Nina lunged upwards and caught their attackers by the throats.

"Ha HA!" I laughed triumphantly, releasing Aniu in the process. "The old sick duck routine!"

Amarok and his mate struggled to free themselves, but the jaws holding them kept an iron grip. Soon the positions were reversed, and it was Sequoia and Nina who were on top. They released their hold, but instantly put their paws down, keeping up the pressure on the enemies' windpipes. "Surrender, Amarok," ordered Sequoia, "or I swear I will kill you here and now."

Amarok nodded weakly, as did his mate. Sequoia removed his paw and ordered, "Now call off your pack."

Amarok howled, and his wolves quickly flocked to his side. He panted and wheezed until his breathing returned to normal, then glared at Sequoia. "Attack," he commanded.

Aniu and I gasped, but before anything could happen, the combined forces of our pack and the other two on our side surrounded them, battered but still ready to fight to the death. Amarok's wolves looked at the army surrounding them and wisely kept still.

"Amarok," announced Sequoia. "I am sure you realize this fight is over. As the victors we have full right to your lands and what is left of your pack."

Amarok snarled, but Sequoia simply cut him off. "However," he added, "Your death will not be my doing. Not today. Instead I will let you live, and leave your pack with the knowledge that you led them into a battle from which many of them – friends, siblings, even mates and children – will not return. Lead them in disgrace, Amarok, knowing that one day they will rise up and end your life themselves. But if you or any of yours ever cross into my domain again, unless they wish to join us, they will be executed at once and your pack will be utterly destroyed."

"We have some to add to that number," I called as Aniu and I raced down the hill. "Kava got out of his prison with the help of some traitors, then tried to kill us. We tried to catch his accomplices, but they got away."

Sequoia's surprise only showed for a moment, then disappeared again as his face resumed its stony expression. "Where is Kava?"

"Gone," I answered. "I knocked him off a cliff."

Amarok snorted. "Then he wasn't worth keeping alive. No wolf who can't beat a dog is a-"

"Silence!" Sequoia fairly roared. "As I said, you and those who remain of your pack will leave. Now." He slowly stepped forward until he was nose-to-nose with the tyrant. "And if you or any of your clan ever come near my daughter again, I will personally make you beg for death."

Amarok bared his teeth, then turned away. "Come," he growled. We watched with great satisfaction as he and his remaining followers disappeared over the hills.

* * *

There was great rejoicing that night. The spies had been ferreted out, the battle was won, and our pack was once more secure. The former members of the Black Claw pack were just as eager to celebrate, glad to be free of Amarok's iron rule. Everyone gathered in the clearing by the dens, howling to the skies and engaging in a rather complicated dance. It seemed the only one who wasn't celebrating was me. I just sat on the edge of the crowd, watching everyone else. Suddenly one of the wolves broke away from the party. It wasn't Aniu, but the pack Omega, a wolf named Scrub with a body as small and fur as scruffy as the small pines that shared his name.

"Kodan," he woofed, "Why aren't you joining in the party? You're the pack hero!"

I hung my head. "I killed a wolf today, Scrub. Not a deer or a rabbit, but a wolf. Why would your pack celebrate a murder?"

Scrub shook his head in disbelief. "Did you hit your head or something? Kava was trying to take over the pack. _And,"_ he added significantly, "He tried to steal Aniu. He tried to destroy the whole pack. Besides, you didn't have much of a choice."

I had to admit he was right about that.

"Listen," he added, his ears leaning back and his tail hanging low. It was a shy position, one he wore often. "If you're not joining the celebration, would you mind if we went somewhere to talk? I kind of need some... advice."

I nodded, all too glad to have something fairly ordinary to do. This whole hero thing wasn't easy.

We walked until we were out of sight of the group, and Scrub sat down. I sat as well, and waited as he began rather hesitantly. "I suppose you already know Kava was, well... kind of possessive of Aniu," he began.

I nodded, remembering all too well the indignities she had been forced to endure. I could feel bile rising in my throat at the thought of it. "I remember."

"And now that Kava is out of the way, all the males who wanted to court her before are going to be coming out of the woods like panicked caribou. Probably some of the newcomers too."

I nodded. "I hadn't thought of that before, but it makes sense."

He tilted his head as if studying me, and I got an odd feeling like he was trying to see inside my mind. Whatever he was looking for, he apparently didn't find, because he shrugged and leaned his ears back. He wouldn't make eye contact, and I got the distinct impression that he didn't want to say the next part. "Well, I was just wondering... do you think I've got a chance?"

I blinked. Scrub, courting Aniu? I was no fan of dividing dogs (or wolves for that matter) into groups except for leadership purposes, but I knew well enough how the system worked. If Scrub tried to strike things up with Aniu, all the other males would hate his guts.

On the other hand, I had noticed that Aniu never took part when the other wolves picked on him, and she often showed up to comfort him afterward. Surely none of the males would want to cross her by picking on Scrub. And rank aside, he was a nice guy. "Maybe," I admitted. "Have you asked her?"

He looked away. "Not really. I... I don't exactly have the courage."

"Oh, come on," I urged. The worst that can happen is she'll say no."

"Have you ever had a girl say no to you?" he asked, looking at me with what I can only describe as dread.

I shook my head slowly. "No," I admitted.

"Well I have," he replied. "It's not fun. And Aniu is just so... so amazing, I think if she shot me down I would drop dead on the spot."

I almost laughed. Okay, so Aniu wasn't bad-looking. But that was no reason to be scared of her. "Come on," I coaxed. "You'll never know if you don't try, right?"

He nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, I guess that's true."

I jerked my head in the direction of the main pack. "Come on, I'll even go with you."

Scrub gave me another one of those weird stares, as if he were looking for something. When he caught me studying him back, he abruptly broke into a grin and began to wag his tail. "Thanks, Kodan. I don't care what the others say, you're alright in my book. Now come on, let's get back there before some other male sweeps her off her paws."

* * *

**Wait a minute. We don't know Scrub, but he knows Kodan, and he wants Aniu. And everyone's... okay with this? DID I MISS SOMETHING?**


	9. The Courtship of Scrub

**Sorry for the long delay. For those who don't know, I have a full-time job, hopefully for the duration of the summer. I have enjoyed your feedback, though, especially the conspiracy theory that was put forward. To answer it... well, I'll let the chapter answer it for me.**

**So, Scrub's got his heart set on Aniu, and Kodan's going to lend him a paw. Let's see how that plays out, shall we?**

* * *

**Aniu**

It didn't take me long to realize Kodan was nowhere in sight. Even with all the extra wolves at the gathering that night, I usually had an easy time keeping track of him, but not now. At first I reasoned that he was probably trying to escape all the attention, but when I saw my parents I decided to ask them. Papa gave Mama a knowing look. "Not in the last five minutes or so," he answered.

Mama thought for a moment. "I think I saw him head out past the tall pines with Scrub a little while ago."

That was odd. Scrub was the omega, and had always been rather quiet and unobtrusive, which was probably why he got picked on a lot. An audience with the pack hero seemed rather unlike him.

At that moment Papa glanced over toward the tall pines on the east edge of camp. "Speaking of which..." he noted.

I turned to follow his gaze, and found the objects of our discussion coming our way. Kodan was smiling, and his wagging tail told of high spirits. Scrub's tail, however, hung down, and his low-slung posture and flattened ears suggested extreme unease.

I ran up to greet them. "Kodan, I was wondering where you sneaked off to."

He shrugged indifferently. "Oh, I was just talking to Scrub. He has something to ask you."

"Oh?" I turned to him expectantly. "What is it?"

Scrub's tail seemed pinned between his legs. He glanced at Kodan with what seemed a look of confusion and fear, then at last met my gaze and swallowed hard.

"Aniu," he ventured finally, "Would you... er..."

He broke eye contact and looked helplessly at Kodan, who gave him an encouraging nod. With a great effort, it seemed, his ears stood and his tail rose, showing more confidence than I'd ever known him to have. Looking me in the eyes again, he asked, "Might I have the honor of courting you?"

I was shocked. Perhaps I shouldn't have been so surprised, having been courted by so many suitors. But courting was the step in wolf relationships before becoming mates.

Scrub wanted to be my mate.

"I... I don't know," I stammered. I glanced back at my parents, who watched with smiling faces and encouraging nods. I had been about to say that he ought to ask their permission (which was one step Kava had always skipped), but realized that they had already given their consent for him to ask me. I looked back at Scrub, and saw the hope in his eyes. I almost thought that perhaps he hoped courting me would spare him the abuse of the pack, but it wasn't that kind of hope. It was hope and admiration. He admired me, as all males did, but not just for my looks. I had always been kind to him, refusing to take part and sometimes intervening physically when the others bullied him. Often I would comfort him after he took a teasing or a beating. Sure, he wasn't as brave or strong as the others, but he had a good heart. So I wasn't surprised when, mingled with that hope and admiration, I sensed that he was doing this for me.

At last I smiled and ran my muzzle alongside his. "Yes," I said with full conviction. "It would be a pleasure to be courted by you, Scrub."

Scrub's face broke into a stunned smile as if he didn't think he had heard right. "Really? That's great!"

Kodan laughed, then threw back his head and howled. Scrub instantly looked panicked, but fortunately everyone seemed to think he was just celebrating. Which, in a way, I suppose was true. If they had only known what he was really celebrating.

Looking back now, I wonder what things might have changed if I had known what the future held for me and my new suitor, Scrubb.

It didn't take him long to begin filling the role. The very next morning when he was assigned the south border patrol, he asked me to accompany him. I accepted, trying not to look too interested. Inside, my stomach was churning as if last night's supper were kicking around. It had been so long since I really had a relationship with a male, one who wasn't an absolute beast like Kava. I had to wonder what it would be like. True courtship meant more than simply expressing a romantic interest; it was a bond almost as strong as actual engagement. In asking to court me, he had expressed a life-long interest in my well-being, and I had to wonder if he was ready. Still more, I wondered if I was.

I was reluctant to express this to him as we walked out of camp, so instead I focused on our surroundings. All looked in order. The snow showed no tracks except those of previous patrols and a few squirrels, rabbits, and one moose. As much as I tried to focus on these things, I couldn't help looking at Scrub. Why not, I wondered. After all, he was my suitor. We were practically betrothed. It surprised me little that I found him gazing back. His eyes showed such a deep regard that it was impossible not to feel some affection in return, something beyond the pack comradeship that had always been there, deeper than the sympathy I'd always felt seeing him at the bottom of the pack.

"Thank you," he said softly, his ears erect and his eyes bright. "I'm glad you agreed to this."

I nodded, wondering how best to say what was on my heart. In spite of the connection I felt, I remembered Mother warning me when I came of age to never let on too much interest in a male early on. "As I said last night, it is an honor," I managed at last.

He smiled, then suddenly fixed his eyes on a point past me. "Get down," he whispered. "I see something."

I dropped to my belly without question, then watched him as he stepped over me, angling toward my back end. Out of the corner of my eye I watched him creep up on a fallen tree by the trail. He froze for a moment, moving only his ears to get the exact location of his target. Then he flung himself over the tree. I heard a moment's scuffle, a piercing cry, and then Scrub appeared with a dead rabbit dangling from his teeth. He dropped it at my feet and smiled, wagging his tail.

"Hungry?"

I almost laughed. Here we were out on patrol and he was bringing me gifts. "Not now," I told him. "I'll eat when we get back to the dens. But thank you."

He smiled, a surprisingly common sight from someone as pushed-down as he tended to be. I liked his smile – sort of tentative, as if he wasn't sure he dared to let it out, but honest and kind.

"There's something I want to know, Scrub," I ventured as I tucked the rabbit into the hollow base of a tree to retrieve it on the way back. "How do you do it?"

He tilted his head at me curiously. "Do what?" he asked.

I blinked. "Everyone in the pack treats you like the snow between their pads, but somehow you can still stay happy. How?"

He lowered his gaze toward my paws and leaned his ears back. "Actually, I'm not always that happy. But since you asked, the reason I haven't cracked yet is... well, you." He looked me in the face now. "You've always stood by me, always helped me get back up when the others picked on me. You... and now Kodan," he added in what almost sounded like a reluctant tone. "You're the only reason I didn't leave years ago or lose it. I think that's why... well, why I fell for you."

I blushed, overcome with butterflies in my stomach. "I'm glad it meant that much to you." After a long silence I added, "How long have you felt this way?"

Now it was his turn to look embarrassed. "Ever since I was old enough to fall in love."

My eyes flew open at that, and my jaw almost instantly hung slack. "You've been in love with me since you were half-grown, and you never said anything?"

He grinned sheepishly. "Surprised I kept it hidden so long?"

"Well, yes. I mean I never thought that you..." I trailed off. "But why now?"

"It was the first time I had the chance," he confessed. "You were always the center of the other males' attention, and once Kava showed up nobody had a chance with you. With him out of the way, I figured I should hurry up before someone else did."

The answer sounded so matter-of-fact as to seem rehearsed. "But what will you do when the others find out? They'll be after you more than ever now."

He shrugged indifferently. "I can handle it. I just wanted to... to do something special for you, as a way of paying you back for all you've done for me. Besides..." he added shyly, "You are very beautiful."

* * *

**Thanks for reading. I'll try to add more, but the next chapter, like this one, will be written from scratch. So I can't make any promises about speed.**

**So, what did you think of Scrub's behavior? Kodan aside, would he be a good match for Aniu?**


	10. So Much for Secret Love

**Thanks again to everyone for following this story. To answer everyone's questions, yes, Balto is supposed to be half husky. But Aniu is in love with Scrub, a wolf. What's going on here?**

**And for that matter, what will the rest of the pack think?**

* * *

**Kodan**

"The southern patrol is back," noted Nina.

I looked, and sure enough I saw Scrub and Aniu emerge from the trees. Just looking at them made me smile. Their joy at each other's company was so great I could practically smell it. I could see Aniu's smile even behind the rabbit in her teeth. The two of them had it bad.

Unfortunately, it seemed not everyone knew the two of them were a couple. As Scrub broke off to make his report and Aniu sat down to eat, a brown wolf named Rama trotted up to meet her. "Good morning, Aniu," he greeted, his tail wagging.

I approached, sensing trouble.

"Good morning," Aniu replied, not looking up from her rabbit.

Rama's ears dropped back for a moment. He must have been confused at her lack of interest, but it didn't stop him for long. "Glad we finally got rid of that stinker Kava," he remarked. "I just wish I could have finished him myself. The way he treated you..."

_'And pushed you aside,'_ I thought. I glanced over toward Scrub and the alphas, wondering if they knew what was going on. The alphas watched with curiosity. Scrub briefly met my gaze, and I could see he was worried.

"So anyway," Rama went on, "I was wondering if you'd like to accompany me for a little walk?"

She stopped eating and looked up at him. Then she glanced toward Scrub, and I could see her expression fall. "I'm afraid not," she said, trying to sound casual about it. "Someone else asked me first."

Rama seemed surprised at this. Apart from the alphas, and Taro, who was too old for Aniu, he was the fittest wolf in the pack. The thought that anyone would get the jump on him must have been quite a shock. "Who?" he asked.

She hesitated, unsure what to say. Before Rama could ask again, I stepped up. "An old friend of hers," I answered.

Rama stared at me. So, it seemed, did nearly every other male in the pack. "You're going with the dog?"

"No!" we both blurted at once. Great, as if things hadn't been awkward enough, now look what I'd done.

"Aniu is with me."

All eyes turned to the speaker. Scrub stood as firm as a tree, his ears up and his tail raised. I had never seen him look so sure of himself. "I asked for the right to court her last night."

There was silence for what felt like a very long time. Then all at once, every wolf in earshot burst out laughing.

"Oh, that's a good one," Rama chortled.

"The bottom of the heap courting the heiress?" Khoros could barely stand up. "You must have been up all night planning a joke like that!"

One of Aniu's friends, a she-wolf named Asaila, was rolling on the ground. "I guess being with Kava brought your standards down, didn't it?"

As the laughter subsided, Aniu strtode over to Scrub's side. "It's not a joke," she said firmly.

Everyone fell dead silent at that. I felt as though time itself had frozen.

"You and Scrub?" asked Rama. "But he's... he's an omega."

"He's as much a male as you are," I pointed out. "So he has as much..."

"You keep out of this, dog!" the wolf whirled to face me. I have to admit, he was pretty intimidating. The guy was twice my size and showing teeth I'd seen break a moose' leg bone clean in half. "You're not part of our pack, so keep your nose out of our business while you've still got it, got it?"

"Well, Rama," Sequoia boomed out fiercely, "Am I still the head of this pack, or did Nina and I die in our sleep last night and no one have the heart to tell us?"

Rama turned to his right and came face-to-face with the alpha male, who regarded him with a confident scowl that instantly sent him back with his ears down and his tail tucked. "Sir, I didn't know... surely you haven't..."

Sequoia cut him off. "Scrub has our permission."

Nina, at his side, added, "He came to us in advance, and he's told us all we need to know about his interest in our daughter. We trust him completely, and we have every confidence in our daughter's judgment."

That shut everyone up. To bully the omega was nothing unusual, but to defy the alphas was unthinkable. As if to drive this point home, Sequoia stepped up nose-to-nose with Rama. "I also seem to remember telling everyone that anyone who spoke ill of Kodan would answer to me. Wasn't that my command after he risked his life to save a packmate?"

Rama stammered. "Y-yes, sire, but wasn't Kava...?"

"_Wasn't that what I said?"_ Sequoia repeated.

Rama nodded, wide-eyed. "Yes," he whimpered weakly.

Sequoia sat, the intensity gone from his face as if it had ridden away on a passing breeze. Only a hint of tooth and the ever-present strength in his gaze so much as hinted at the aggression he was capable of. "I believe you owe our friend an apology, and my daughter as well."

I waited for him to speak on Scrub's behalf too, but he said nothing more. All eyes were on Rama as he turned to face me, the humiliation so heavy on him that I couldn't help feeling sorry for him. He stared at my paws and muttered. "I'm sorry, Kodan. You had every right to speak."

He turned to face the budding couple, but refused to even look at the omega. Instead he addressed Aniu alone. "Forgive me. I shouldn't have been so rude. After all, it is your decision."

Khoros seemed to realize that she was the last resort. "Aniu, are you sure you're...?" he began, but Scrub cut him off.

"If Aniu wishes," he suggested, "I won't stop her from courting another. I have no claim over her yet, and the law allows her to court many suitors provided she takes only one mate in the end."

That was the limit. Let everyone else take Scrub for filth, even Scrub himself. "No!" I protested. "Why should Aniu have to put up with other suitors who are only in it out of jealousy? And why should Scrub have to compete with them when he actually loves her?"

A wiser dog might have kept his mouth shut, since I still think it was only the alphas' protection that stopped the males from leaving me with scars or worse.

Nina fixed me with a somber expression. "Kodan, your concern is commendable. But you must realize that the ways you knew where you came from are not our ways."

"Perhaps not," Aniu countered, "But he has a point. I want a courtship of love, not envy. So I'll only court one male at a time, and until I choose otherwise, that will be Scrub. Let it be known that anyone who tries to cut short my courtship, to Scrub or any suitor, will never be my mate."

Well, that pretty much ended the matter. No one, not even Aniu's parents, could override her when it came to whom she would or wouldn't consider for a mate. One by one, the crowd dispersed.

Scrub walked up to me. "Thanks for the backup," he uttered. "I thought they were going to force me off."

I shook my head. "No need to thank me. I was just doing what any decent dog would do."

Scrub nodded slowly. "Yes," he observed. "You dogs have an odd way of doing things, but I like it."

I was glad to hear that. And when he asked me to come with him and Aniu whenever they went out courting in the future, I readily agreed.

Is it only hindsight now, looking back, or did I imagine even then what a snare lay in my path?

* * *

**Oh-oh, I get the feeling our friend Kodan's not out of trouble yet. And what about Scrub and Aniu? Will they withstand their differing social statures and the persecution of their packmates? Will the other wolves heed Aniu's words? Is there a drastic turn of events coming up with Kodan destined to land in the crossfire? And why do I sound like the narrator on those old Batman episodes starring Adam West? Stay tuned.**


	11. In Which Scrub Gets a Tough Break

**So, we've still got a soap opera on our hands. Aniu's with Scrub, but she's "supposed" to be with Kodan. And both she and Kodan are Scrub's friends. Friends don't go behind each other's backs... do they?**

**P.S. For the sake of getting the right angles in certain scenes, I'm breaking up the alternation between chapters. So say hello to Kodan again.**

* * *

**Kodan**

Aniu looked a little surprised to see me following Scrub to their next little stroll. "Why are you here?" she asked.

Instantly I felt awkward, and my ears began to slide back as my tail dropped. "Well, Scrub asked me to join you two," I explained.

He smiled in what I took to be an effort at encouragement. "I thought perhaps he could keep me-ow!" he stopped as I stamped my paw down hard on his. Clearing his throat, he amended, "Er, um, I thought he'd be some help to keep our packmates from, you know, giving us trouble."

Aniu nodded slowly, her ears flicking in confusion. "I suppose that's acceptable," she agreed, giving me one last puzzled look. She didn't seem entirely convinced by Scrub's story, but I decided that as long as she didn't ask further, we wouldn't need to make anything up.

I'll spare you the details of the trip to the falls. Let's just say by the time it was over, I wondered if I would ever succeed in helping Scrub win Aniu's heart all the way. If she hadn't been drawn to him to begin with, I would have probably have just given up. Over that trip, and the weeks that followed, we tried everything I could think of. I tried to coach him in the little I knew about sweet-talking a lady, but he made so many mistakes I wondered if he might be doing it on purpose. The attempt at a poem was, well, best forgotten. And although hunting on land seemed to be a particular talent of his, as he caught one small animal after another for her until she all but stopped eating at the pack's regular meals, fishing... well, that was another story.

But the worst was yet to come. One day I came across him and Aniu arguing. "Aniu, we can do it. I've seen you hunt. And I've been working on my skills..."

"Scrub, you've been practicing on rabbits and squirrels. It takes a whole pack to bring down a moose."

"A moose?" I echoed, not sure I'd heard right.

"Yes, a moose," Aniu replied. "Kodan, tell Scrub we shouldn't try to kill a moose."

As part of a pack, sure," I replied. "But just the three of us, not a chance."

"We can do it," he persisted. "You of anyone should want this as much as I do."

"Why?" I asked, confused.

"To prove yourself to the pack."

"He's already proven himself," Aniu pointed out. "If they weren't won over by his saving us from Amarok's plot, nothing will convince them that he deserves to be among us. Especially not joining some foolhardy scheme and getting the three of us killed."

Scrub lowered his head. "Alright Aniu. Forget the plan." Nuzzling her briefly, he added, "The last thing I want is to see you get hurt."

She smiled. "It's a good thing I find impetuosity attractive."

He smiled back, then looked at me. "Kodan, could I talk to you about something? Just us two?"

I agreed and followed him a short distance until Aniu was out of earshot. "What's up?"

Scrub looked uneasy. "I said I wouldn't go after a moose for Aniu's sake, but the truth is, I have to do something big."

"No you don't."

"Yes I _do."_ Scrub wasn't letting up. "Look, you know what courtship means in this pack, right?"

I nodded. "It means you want to be Aniu's mate. Which you can't do..."

"If the other wolves don't respect me," he cut me off. "You've heard what they say about me when she's not around."

"That's true, but what makes you think getting yourself killed will earn their respect?"

"I suppose. But there must be something we can do. I'd never be allowed to lead the whole pack on a hunt. Spearheading a small group is my only hope to prove that I can lead.."

A smarter dog would have persisted in talking him out of it. Unfortunately I wasn't that smart. "Aniu will never agree to it."

"She will if you back me up."

"Not for a moose hunt."

"A small one? Or sick?"

I glowered. "No and no."

Scrub looked at me pleadingly. "An elk? That's not so much, is it?"

I thought about it. An elk wasn't such a hard animal to bring down. "Alright, I'll talk to her about it. But really, what kind of leader do you think you'd be if you need me to negotiate with your future mate for you?"

He laughed. "That's why I haven't proposed to her yet. Besides, what better way to learn how to lead than by organizing a hunt?"

I had to admit, he made a strong case. "Alright, I'll try."

Getting Aniu on board with the idea wasn't at all easy. "He's doing it for you," I tried to explain.

"Why?" she demanded. "Does he think I need him to be some fantastic hunter? He's a wolf, not a grizzly. I can handle him being imperfect, but I don't want him to make a fool of himself."

"He knows. At least, I think he knows. But there's more to this picture than the two of you."

"Why?"

I hesitated, wondering whether or not to let her know Scrub was doing this to prepare for marriage. "Let me ask you something," I asked. "Have you ever thought about where your relationship with him may lead?"

She nodded. "All the time."

"And if you were to marry Scrub, where would that put him in the pack hierarchy?"

She considered that. "I suppose it would make him the next alpha male."

I nodded. "That's right. But the other wolves will never accept him as their leader if he can't prove he deserves their respect." As I said this, something else occurred to me. "And I think if we don't go, he'll just try the scheme himself."

There was a long silence then. "I suppose I should be trying to encourage him, not hold him back," she said at last. "Alright, I'll do it. But if it looks too dangerous, be ready to help me drag him out of there. I'd rather have an embarrassed suitor than a dead one."

I nodded. "I will," I promised, "On one condition. You have to start negotiating things like this yourselves. It's not going to be a good relationship if you always need someone to work things out for you."

"They usually head over this way," he whispered was we darted through the forest, making frequent stops to sniff the air. "If we find a lone one, we'll have a good chance to catch it."

Aniu still seemed intent on talking some sense into him. "Scrub, how are we going to surround an elk with only the three of us?"

"We don't have to," he replied. "There's a box canyon not far away. Once we drive it in there, you two can keep it cornered while I climb the ledges around behind it. Any questions?"

"How did you talk me into this?" Aniu asked again.

Scrub didn't answer, for at that moment we stumbled upon tracks. He affirmed at a glance that they were those of an elk.

"He's headed upwind," Scrub exulted. "Perfect. We'll have him before he knows we're there."

"Don't get too confident," Aniu countered. "They can be dangerous. They don't have their antlers for nothing."

He nodded. "Of course. Don't worry Aniu, I will exercise the utmost care."

I almost pointed out that "utmost care" should have included bringing more wolves, but held back. I had told Aniu to work things out between the two of them, and I wasn't going to change that practice now.

We followed the trail in silence, Scrub taking the front with obvious anticipation while Aniu and I hung back. It wasn't long before we could see the elk in the distance, a fine bull just into adulthood. I was immediately doubtful, as was Aniu.

"Scrub," she whispered, "Perhaps we should find an easier one to take."

He looked back and shook his head. "This one should be easy enough as long as we stick to the plan."

At first it looked like he might be right. Following his instructions, we fanned out around the elk and drove it west. Scrub barked out commands, urging myself or Aniu forward or back as needed to keep the elk from breaking to the side until we had it trapped. The elk realized it had run into a dead end and whirled around, snorting. Its eyes were wide with panic and fury as it swept back and forth with its antlers.

"Keep him cornered!" Scrub ordered. "Try to drive it under that ledge to the right!"

We did as he commanded while he ran around and jumped from ledge to ledge. It was a matter of moments before we had the elk right underneath him. By now the thing was going so wild I was scared to get close to it, but Scrub was signaling for us to hold it where it was.

Aniu wanted no more of it. "Scrub, this is too dangerous!"

Scrub said nothing, only hurled himself at the elk's back. The good news was he managed to land squarely on its back and get his teeth into its neck.

The bad news was, he didn't stay there long. The beast bucked wildly, flinging him forward squarely onto one of its antlers. Scrub let go with a scream and flew through the air, landing with a thud several yards away.

"Scrub!" Aniu and I abandoned the elk, which quickly made its escape as we ran to Scrub's aid.

"Scrub, are you alright?" Aniu blurted unnecessarily. The answer was an easy no. He groaned with pain as blood poured from a gash running the length of his right thigh.

"Oh, this is bad," I said. "I'm going for help. You stay here!"

I tore off through the woods as fast as my paws could take me. Fear for my friend's life lent me speed, and urgency gave me strength even as the guilt on my conscience weighed me down. I never should have agreed to this mad scheme. Or I should have sabotaged it somehow, let the elk escape before it came to this. If Scrub died, I'd never get his death, or Aniu's grief, off my conscience.

"Hang in there, buddy," I whispered as I poured in every ounce of strength my legs could muster.

It felt like an eternity before I got back into the camp. "Get the healer!" I shouted as soon as I figured I was in earshot. "Scrub's badly hurt! Get Gina now!"

My barking drew wolves from all over. First among them was Gina, a brown wolf who handled all the pack's medical needs. "Where is he? What happened?"

"Elk threw him. Tore open a gash in his leg. He's in the box canyon about a mile east of here."

Gina nodded and began to bark orders. "Taro, get some pine needles from my den. Gaaks, Lipgat, get some branches. Follow our tracks as fast as you can. Chena, Khoros, follow me now! And Bramble, see to Kodan."

I was about to ask what she meant when suddenly I felt dizzy and lightheaded. I staggered as my body became heavy, and then was out before I hit the ground.

When I awoke I found myself in one of the dens. I looked around groggily and saw one of the wolves watching me. "Good, you're awake," she announced.

I nodded sluggishly. "I feel like I ran for a week."

"You ran a week's worth, at least. Even for you, that was-"

It hit me like a thunderclap why I felt so beat. "Scrub!" I exclaimed. "Is he...?"

She nodded. "He's alright. Gina was able to stop the bleeding and get him back to camp. He's got a few breaks, but the leg is the biggest problem. She and Bramble are trying to fix that up now. And of course Aniu's a nervous wreck about the whole thing."

I shook my head. "I never should have let this happen," I said. "I knew it was a bad idea."

She sighed. "Well, Scrub can be hard to say no to once you're friends with him." After a pause, she added, "He wants to talk to you, but before you go I just want to say thanks for... well, caring about him. That's not something a lot of wolves in this pack would do."

I nodded. "Of course, but why are you thanking me?"

She shrugged. "Well, he is my brother."

"Ah." I nodded and left.

In the healers' den, Gina and her assistant Bramble were in the process of fixing up our little maniac. Bramble chewed various herbs into a mushy pulp while Gina stirred them with other things on a piece of stone. Aniu stood by, looking very anxious not to cry.

Scrub groaned. "I'm really sorry Aniu. I know I promised, but this-OW!" he yelped as the healer pushed some herbs into the gash on his leg.

"Hold still," she scolded. "Your leg will be better in a month or two, and then you two can go, but only if you don't move it."

Scrub squeezed his eyes tightly shut and clenched his teeth as the healer finished her job. When he finally opened them, there was a look of sincere sympathy in his eyes. "I'm sorry Aniu, I know you were looking forward to seeing the eclipse."

She shook her head. "Not if going leaves you crippled," she replied. "Besides, it'll come by again eventually."

Scrub bit his lower lip thoughtfully. "Alright, you win. I'll stay put." He remained silent until the healers all but forced her to leave, then beckoned me over. "Could you do me a favor?" he asked.

I nodded. "Of course, anything."

"Take Aniu to see the eclipse for me. There's no reason for her to miss out, and I'd like you to see it too."

My ears slid back in alarm and confusion. "Me? But she's your consort, and besides, I..."

He laughed. "Oh, don't be such a hopeless romantic. It doesn't have to be..." he stopped as if trying to remember the word, "... a date, as you call it. Just take her as a friend. Besides, it's a special occasion. If she can't see it with me, she might as well at least see it."

I hesitated. "She could always go by herself," I reasoned.

The pleading look he threw in had to be a joke. "Don't you know anything, Kodan? Sights like the eclipse aren't nearly as much fun if you see them alone, and it would be a terrible embarrassment for her to show up alone in front of the other wolves. If it bothers you to look at it as going with Aniu, just think of it as a favor for me, okay? A favor from one friend to another."

I couldn't help thinking that showing up with a male who wasn't her consort would be more embarrassing than going alone. But as my master used to say, when in Rome, do as the Romans do (wherever Rome is). "Okay, I'll do it if she wants to go too."

I walked out of the cave and found Aniu sitting by a rock on the outskirts of camp. I heard her take a deep breath and sigh quietly as I approached.

"Worried about Scrub?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Not exactly worried. Gina's a good healer. If she said she can have Scrub up and around in a week, he'll be just fine. It's just strange, that's all. I used to think of him as almost a cub, even when he grew older. So vulnerable and meek. Then when we started courting, he changed. It was as if he became stronger, more capable. But now he's back to being like he was before."

I shrugged, trying to put a bold face on it. "Well, don't let it get to you. He'll be just like the old – uh, I mean the new Scrub once he gets his paws back under him."

She nodded and forced a smile. "You're right," she agreed. "But I wish he had picked some other time to get hurt. This was to be my first eclipse, and the view from Eagle Point... well, you've been up there."

I nodded, then decided to throw caution to the wind. "Actually, Scrub had an idea about that. He suggested that perhaps I should take you."

She looked at me in surprise. "You, take Scrub's place?"

"I know, that's what I said," I answered. "He said I was being a 'hopeless romantic.'"

If nothing else, I did make her laugh. "You? A romantic?" After a moment she stopped, her eyes widening and her ears dropping. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."

Now it was my turn to laugh. "No, it's fine." I bit back a comment that she had a nice laugh, deciding that it wouldn't be appropriate coming from me. "I'll be the first to admit I'm a fighter, not a lover."

She smiled at the comment about me being a fighter. "Well, it's kind of you to offer, but I don't think I'll go."

I nodded. "Of course. I wouldn't have even brought it up if he hadn't asked me."

She tilted her head. "Are you sure he was really asking you to take me? I mean, maybe he was joking or something."

I shook my head. "No, he definitely wanted me to follow through on it. He almost begged me to take you so you wouldn't have to miss out. You can ask him yourself, he wanted us to go just as friends."

She tilted her head back as if studying the sky. "It would be a shame to miss out on the event entirely."

I nodded my reluctant agreement. "Why not?" I agreed. "Just as friends."

Aniu nodded and smiled a little. "I suppose if he wants it that badly, it would be unkind to refuse. Alright, I'll go with you."

I jokingly bowed the way Scrub often did. "Madame, I am honored."

We had a good laugh then, although I have to wonder whether we would have laughed as much if we had known what lay ahead.

As the sun set, we and several other pairs headed out for Eagle Point. More than one pointedly jabbed at Aniu for going with me.

"Finally ditched the omega?" asked one of the males.

"No," we both answered in unison.

"Well, I can't say much for your taste," added a female. "But at least you've learned to trade up."

"Alright," I lobbed back. "Now can you learn to hush up?"

I tried to bear it, though I almost got into a fight when still another wolf leaned towards Aniu and whispered, "I don't know if you get this, but nurturing and protecting is something you do for pups, not for your boyfriend."

"This isn't working," Aniu whispered to me as we looked for a spot on Eagle Point.

"Any ideas?" I replied.

"Just one," she replied, and began to make her way to the edge of the pack. By now the others hardly noticed us, too busy trying to get the best view for the eclipse. She nosed her way through a small evergreen bush, and I followed. On the other side lay a narrow path. It curved around Eagle Point's "beak" to the small ledge that formed its lower beak. The ceiling was low, but comfortable, and the lower beak extended enough to give a clear view of the sky.

"I never even realized there was a way to get here," I said.

"I know," she replied. "It's something only a few wolves know about – the alphas and their closest friends. My parents told me about it because I'm the heiress, and I figure you deserve to know about it too."

I was surprised to be so privileged. "Thank you," was all I could say.

She looked at the ground. "I was thinking about showing it to Scrub. I really wish he could be here."

I nodded. "Me too." Inside, I felt a whirl of confused emotions. What was I doing here? Scrub should be here. If it weren't for the stupid accident, he would be. It was all a dumb elk's antler, nothing more.

We took our places on either side of where the eagle's top beak hung down to get a good view of the moon, and waited as it drifted across the sky.

Lacking something to do, I began looking at the constellations – a habit I had picked up from my old musher, who had been "an amateur astronomer," as he put it. "Okay, there's the Big Dipper, but where... ah."

"What are you doing?" asked Aniu.

"Huh?" I snapped out of it enough to realize she was staring at me.

"You were saying something about a big something."

"Oh." I felt embarrassed. I felt more and more like a wolf each day, but some of my old habits still surfaced now and then. "It's just something the humans back home did sometimes. They would look at the stars and try to find shapes among them."

"Shapes in the stars?"

"Yeah. Like... oh, let's see, there's three stars that form a triangle like this." I poked the ground in three places.

She nodded, still confused.

"Now to humans, that looks kind of like the shape of a bull's head."

"A bull? You mean like a caribou bull?"

I tried to think of how to explain it and came up short. "Something like that," I agreed.

She pondered it for a moment. "A triangle sounds more like a wolf's face to me."

I shrugged. "I guess. Different things sometimes look different to different people."

She nodded. "Like you."

"Me?" I asked, putting a paw to my chest. "Who do I look different to?"

"Almost everyone," she reasoned. "Some of the other wolves see you as an outsider, even an inferior. Others, and more of them since you saved our pack, see you as a hero and a noble warrior."

I thought about that. "What do you see when you look at me?"

She looked hard at me for a moment. "You are a kind soul, and a loyal friend. You are not a warrior; fighting is not in your heart. But you are a protector, a better one than many wolves." Smirking, she added, "And you are uncertain enough to ask others who you are."

"I didn't ask who I was," I protested, my ears reclining.

She smiled warmly then. "Ah, but it was in the back of your mind, wasn't it?"

I was still mulling that one over when she added hesitantly, "Would you think less of me if I asked...?"

"It's starting!" someone shouted overhead.

We looked up at the moon. Sure enough, a section of it seemed to be missing, as if someone had taken a very tiny bite out of it. Slowly, the shadow crept over the moon's surface as we watched.

"There's a legend," Aniu whispered to me, "That when this happens the moon is going to sleep. When it goes entirely black, the pack will howl to re-awaken it so that it may give light to the night sky again."

I nodded. My old musher had once told me, the way humans do when they don't think we dogs understand them but want to talk as if we did, that these eclipses were caused when the earth came between the moon and the sun, casting a shadow over the moon. But I didn't feel like explaining that just now. _Another case of things looking different to different people,_ I thought.

At last the moon was covered, and the night was filled with the sound of howling. Aniu's call reached my ears, an alto note that echoed in the eagle's mouth like choir voices inside a church. I was momentarily transfixed before I realized that I too should howl. I threw back my head, pursed my lips, and sang out into the night. We sang together until the moon began to reappear. Then we stopped to catch our breaths.

"Well," I panted, "That was fun."

Aniu nodded. "I didn't realize you could howl so well."

I nodded, feeling suddenly awkward. As my eyes adjusted to the moonlight after that short-lived blackness, the blinding white of her fur brought me back to when I had first seen her – so white and blurry that I thought she was an angel. Who knew she had the voice to go with it? "You too," was all I said.

She lay down, apparently content to watch the rest of the eclipse in relative silence. "I imagined that Scrub was here to hear it," she admitted.

I nodded, my heart beating strongly in my chest. "He probably heard it down in the camp," I joked.

We laughed, and I was hit anew by those peculiar feelings. But now, for the first time, I fully understood what they were and felt compelled to hide them all the more. _Kodan, what are you thinking?_ I asked myself. _She's with Scrub. She was singing for him, not you._

I was all too relieved when at last she said she wanted to go back home, and I did my best to remain silent as we walk. I nearly had a heart attack when she asked me, "Kodan, you never did answer my question before. What do you see when you look at me?

I fumbled for an answer. "A friend," I replied. "The best friend I've ever had... since Blizzard, I mean. Maybe better."

I could tell she had been hoping for a more thought-out answer. But I didn't dare say more, didn't dare take the risk of telling her the whole truth.

I was in love.

* * *

**Alright Kodan! You finally figured out what's going on in your heart. Now the question is, where will this lead?**

**To help you keep your minds occupied while you wait for the next chapter, I'd like you to ponder another question. I've heard a lot of people saying that as great as Scrub seems to be, Aniu belongs with Kodan. But why is that so? If she and Scrub really love each other, why shouldn't she be his mate instead of Kodan's?**


	12. In Which Another Wolf Learns the Secret

**Well, out of all the reviews I've gotten on the last chapter, I'd say Amelia Valencia came the closest to actually getting what I was driving at. You see, the reason Aniu should be with Kodan is, simply, that the creators of the Balto series purposed for her to be mated with a dog. As her creators, they have total authority over her. And as the creator of the story, I share in that authority.**

**Now let us suppose that I were to tell Aniu in some way that she should break off her relationship with Scrub, and she refused. What would that make her?**

* * *

**Aniu**

I sensed that something was amiss after the eclipse, although I could not begin to understand what it was. When we howled to awaken the moon, he seemed elated, as if the event had awoken some unknown joy in him. Yet before we had reached the top of the cliff again, he seemed deeply troubled. I had never seen such a change happen so quickly in anyone.

"Kodan," I asked, "Is something wrong?"

His ears flattened and he quickly shook his head. "No, nothing's wrong. I just... well, something came over me, that's all."

I peered at him in confusion. "Came over you?" I echoed. "What is it?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, it's just... weird, I guess."

I took a step toward him. "Perhaps if you told me..."

"No," he blurted quickly. "No, I... I think I should keep it to myself."

I puzzled at the meaning of his strange silence, but decided to let him hold his piece.

When he was silent and anemic the next morning, I decided to ask again. "Is something wrong, Kodan?"

He shook his head. "It's nothing," he answered, but as the day continued I decided he had been lying. He was sullen and uneasy, and wouldn't come with me to visit Scrub. I told my consort about it, and he considered it carefully. "Maybe he's caught something and doesn't want to risk passing it on to me."

I thought this over and shook my head. "It's too sudden," I replied. "It came on too suddenly," I replied. "What about the eclipse could make him so irritable?"

Scrub shrugged doubtfully. Then his eyes lit up. "Perhaps you could get him to talk to someone else? Gina, maybe."

I put the idea to Kodan later, but he wouldn't talk to anyone. But as the days wore on and he remained tight-lipped, I began to press the matter. At last, when Scrub had been out and about for a full three days, Kodan caved in and agreed to see Gina about his problem.

I waited outside for what felt like a long time. As I sat there, Scrub joined me. "Good morning, beautiful," he greeted cheerily, licking my ear.

I returned his greeting with a light lick on the nose. He must have noticed my lack of enthusiasm, for he asked, "What's wrong?"

I sighed. "Kodan's in there, talking to Gina. Something's wrong with him and he won't tell me what it is."

He tilted his head with a thoughtful look. "You don't have any idea what it is?"

I shook my head. "No, and I'm starting to worry about him."

He chuckled. "Aniu, you've been worried about him ever since the two of you went up to watch the eclipse."

I hung my head and sighed. "I suppose so." I looked at Scrub. "I suppose I've always worried about him, ever since I rescued him in that blizzard. I know he manages well enough on his own, even saved my life in the battle with the Black Claw Pack."

"Twice," he added helpfully. "First by fighting at your side against Kava and his traitors, then by keeping you out of the thick of it."

I nodded. "He can take care of himself and more, I know," I said, more to myself than to Scrub. "And yet I want to... to help him somehow." Frustration welled up within me. How was it that I could so easily discern the minds of others, and yet I couldn't even figure out, much less explain, my own compulsions?

Scrub smiled and brushed his nose against my cheek. "Forgive me if I speak too freely," he ventured, "But it sounds as if you just need someone to look after."

I guessed what he might be driving at, but feigned confusion. "I suppose I might," I allowed, "But how would saying so be speaking too freely?"

I almost regretted it when I saw what a hard time he had getting the words out, then remembered that an alpha male would need to be outspoken and forthright. "Well," he faltered a little, "Because I was thinking that a nature like that would... oh, forget the lead-in. Aniu, I've been thinking that since we've been courting for quite some time now, it's high time we decided whether or not this is really leading somewhere. If we're going to become mates, then let's. If not, I shouldn't be wasting your time when you have bigger things to worry about."

A tidal wave of emotions poured over me. I felt excited, frightened, joyful, dazzled and sick. I know now that my answer was unwise. Not because of what I would learn later or what came of it, but because I answered only with my heart, leaving my head out of it. I all but forgot about his near-madness trying to prove himself and decided that as lacking as he was, I could make a good leader and partner out of him. "Scrub... I will be your mate."

His uncertainty exploded like a tree branch in the coldest of weather, into sheer ecstasy. "Wonderful!" he cried. "Oh, we'll hold the ceremony at the next full moon. I just wish I had asked a few weeks sooner so we could have had it during the eclipse."

I laughed. "I'll go talk to my parents and arrange things," I volunteered.

He shook his head. "I already told them I'd be asking you, and the old traditions make it my job to see the arrangements made." Then with a thoughtful look, he added, "Besides, you should wait for Kodan and see what's the matter with him."

I nodded, and sat down to wait as he headed off to find my parents. I was still worried about my friend, but even so, I could not keep from feeling elated. I was going to marry!

The time seemed to fly before Kodan came out of the den, and I was a little sorrier to notice his face was no better than when he went in. "What did Gina say?" I asked.

He shrugged. "She can't help me," came the reply. Then, as if anxious to change the subject, he added, "You seem pretty cheerful. What's the good news? I could use some."

"Oh. Scrub stopped by, and... and he and I are going to wed under the next full moon."

If he had seemed sour before, he looked deathly ill now.

"Is something wrong?" I asked anxiously.

"Wrong?" he replied a little too sharply. "No, nothing's wrong. What could be wrong?"

I didn't believe one word of it. "Kodan, you know you can talk to me. What's happening to you? You've been acting strangely for weeks; you won't even talk to me or Scrub." Then as I said this something else came to me. In a guarded tone, I asked," Do you think he's trying to take advantage of me like Kava?"

This suggestion seemed to alarm him even more. "No!" he blurted. Knowing what I know now, I commend him for at least not stooping to back-stabbing. "No, it's nothing wrong with Scrub. He's great, and I'm happy for both of you. I think I'd make a great father for your pups."

I was so relieved that he approved my choice of a mate, it took a moment for that last part to register. Had he said... but surely he meant...? "What did you say?" I asked, trying not to let my voice spike.

His eyes grew wide, and every bit of him seemed to fall. He looked like someone who had gone to take shelter in a cave they thought was empty, only to face an enraged grizzly. "Aniu," he fumbled, "It was a mistake. I didn't mean..." he trailed off, unable to continue. "No," he amended when at last he found his voice. "I did mean it, I just didn't mean to say it. Aniu..." he trailed off for a moment, then spoke quickly as if he were afraid I would stop him or run, or that he might lose his nerve. "Aniu, I think... I know that I love you."

* * *

**Oh, snap. Now what?**

**And, yeah. Sorry I made this chapter so short. I tried and tried to build up on it, but it just wasn't coming together.**

**So, how about it? What would it be if Aniu knew who she was supposed to be with and chose Scrub anyway?**


	13. Love is Sacrifice

Okay, I guess people skim over the bold text. I do it too. So I'm going to make the point I was aiming at here. As it stands, Aniu is doing nothing wrong because she has no knowledge that she should be with Kodan. Scrub is as valid a choice of mate for her as any other male would be. But if Aniu were to pass Kodan over for Scrub knowing him being her destined mate, it would in effect be sin; a rebellion against her maker just as surely as it is any time real people do things in an unsuitable way, like seeking love in the wrong places. I've seen people protesting that Aniu is not meant to be with Scrub, but with Kodan. I hope you all remember that the next time you try to do something wrong. On that note, let's see what's going to happen now that Kodan's feelings for her are out in the open.

**Kodan**

I stood there anxiously, waiting for the longest time. What I was waiting for, I don't know. I half-expected her to read me the riot act and say she didn't want anything to do with me anymore. It would have been more than fair, I guess.

She seemed to sag, her legs bending as if she had the weight of three or four wolves on her back, and her ears hung low either in disapproval or sorrow, maybe both. "I didn't expect you to say that," she said softly.

"I'm sorry," I answered. "I didn't mean to."

She looked me in the eyes. "I believe you. You wouldn't try to interfere with my engagement to Scrub, even now. We still have a problem, though."

I nodded. "Yeah. You're engaged, thanks to me."

"Yes." She looked toward the pack, where Scrub was telling several other wolves about their imminent marriage. I could tell she wasn't happy about it like she had been a minute ago.

"I'm sorry," I said again. "Now I've gone and ruined everything."

She forced a smile at me. "No, it's better this way. I wouldn't want to make you unhappy; you are my friend."

I looked at her in confusion. "Does that mean you won't marry him?"

She shook her head. "No, it doesn't mean that. At least... I don't know. Scrub's my friend too, and I do love him. I realize he's not the ideal mate, but he's very special to me and I did give my word. I don't really see that there's any way around this."

"So what are you going to do?" I asked.

She hung her head. "I have no idea."

We were both silent for a long moment before I said, "We should talk to your parents about this."

Addressing both of the alphas proved to be impossible at the moment. Sequoia was out hunting. Aniu asked me to stand at a distance while she spoke with her mother, and I was only too happy to oblige. Still, I paid close attention as she walked up to Nina, who was in the midst of extracting some burrs from her coat.

"Mother?" asked Aniu.

Nina looked up from her grooming. "Yes, what is it?"

Aniu's ears leaned back. "I need some advice."

Nina smiled. "I thought you might. What about?"

The white wolf shifted a little. "My engagement," she explained. "I can't stop feeling rather nervous about it."

Her mother sat up, ears erect. "I think I understand," she said slowly. "But tell me all the same why you feel this way."

"I'm not sure myself," Aniu confessed. "I love Scrub, a lot. I guess in a way I always have."

"Hm, and your father and I are very happy for you," Nina added encouragingly.

"Yes, but how do I know if this is the right choice? Or the right time? Marriage is a sacred bond, it shouldn't be entered just on how I feel, should it?"

Nina nodded. "I know exactly how you feel, dear. I had the same doubts before I married your father. I was courting two males back then, you see, and one of them proposed to me. I accepted, because he was a strong male, an impressive fighter, and not so bad when it came to romance either. Still, I knew the other one was fond of me too, and I had a hard time making any kind of decision."

I couldn't help swallowing hard. This situation sounded suspiciously familiar. Aniu must have felt the same way, for she asked, "What did you do?"

"I eventually decided to forget my feelings and marry the one who was overall not quite as impressive. I decided my heart was wrong."

I definitely didn't like where this was going.

"Why would you go into a marriage your heart wasn't in?" asked Aniu.

"Because I knew that the feelings of the heart can be fickle and indecisive. I chose the other male, because he was someone I knew I could trust, someone who would be honest and reliable. The other one, the one my feelings said was better, was too shifty. When I was starstruck I told myself he was creative, unpredictable. But I came to realize that would be a problem in a marriage."

Aniu nodded. "I assume the one you chose was Father, of course."

"Of course."

"Then this makes no sense. The way you and he are now I can't imagine your heart ever drawing you to someone else."

There was a note of triumph in Nina's voice as she replied, "That's exactly the point. Once I settled in my mind that your father was the better mate, and that his honor was better than a few butterflies in the stomach, my heart soon followed my mind. I just wish my heart had followed my conscience from the beginning like it does for some."

Aniu's ears drooped as she mulled this over. "So you're saying that once I make up my mind, I'll have an easier time going into marriage?"

Nina nodded. "That's right. It's natural to feel nervous when you're taking a big step. I was nervous on my first hunt, as I seem to remember you being too. I was nervous when I chose to marry your father, I was nervous when we first adopted you, and you saw for yourself how anxious I got when I found out I was carrying my own first litter."

Aniu nodded. "I remember that, but Father said it was mood swings."

Nina smirked. "Well, Sequoia's never been pregnant before, so he wouldn't know, now would he? The point is, you've got a good male on your paws, one who will be all that you need in a mate, and one who loves you not just with his heart, but his _will._ He is completely and sincerely devoted to your well-being, no matter what it may cost him eventually."

Aniu nodded slowly, her ears laid back in deep thought. "I understand," she said at last.

Nina smiled and nuzzled her daughter, whispering something in her ear that I couldn't pick up. Then the two of them parted ways, and Aniu came over to me.

"She's a wise wolf, your mother," I remarked.

She nodded. "I'm still not sure I understand her advice completely," she confided in me.

"Don't worry," I told her. "You will." I left out the part that I had understood it just fine, the part that had lodged itself in my brain and was waging a vicious battle for acceptance with my heart. Deep down, I now knew exactly what I had to do.

That night I crept to Aniu and nudged her awake. Before she could make a sound, I put a paw on her muzzle, warning her to be silent. It was so like that other night when her father and I had told her about Kava's scheme. Now I had to face her with my own plan. Taking the paw away as soon as she was still, I gestured with my head for her to follow and crept out of the cave.

"What is it?" she asked as soon as we were a distance away.

I turned to face her. "Aniu, I can't take it anymore. Every day I see you, I want you more and more, but I can't have you. It's tearing me apart inside."

She hung her head. "I feel the same, but to break my word would dishonor all three of us. It wouldn't be right."

"I know. And I don't want to make you or Scrub suffer what I'm going through. I wouldn't wish this kind of heartache on Kava if he were still alive." I made eye contact, not caring if she saw how wet my eyes were. "That's why I've made a decision. I'm leaving."

"What?" her eyes grew wide. "What will you do? Where will you go?"

I pointed with my nose. "As far as I can figure, Nome's that way. I'll make my way back there somehow, or just keep going until I drop. I need you to make sure no one follows me."

That part about going until I dropped really bothered her, I could tell. "Kodan, you do realize you won't make it in the wild, not on your own."

I shrugged. "If that's the case, so be it." I meant every word. I couldn't stand to go on like this, and now that I knew what it was like to really love someone, love them so much that I would die for them without asking anything in return, I'd never be able to go back to the carefree life I had once enjoyed. If getting out of the way for my friends to be happy meant death, that was how it would be. "I just wanted you to know, so you wouldn't wonder or come looking for me."

"Oh, Kodan," she murmured, and I tried not to think about the fact that now she was weeping too.

"Go back to your pack," I told her. Then from the bottom of my heart, I added, "I hope you and Scrub have a great life together. You deserve it."

She took a step toward me. "I will do as you have said, but know that as long as I live I will never forget you." She took two more steps and looked me in the eye, then said and did something I had hoped she wouldn't. She pushed her head sideways by mine and whispered, "I love you too, Kodan."

Neither of us heard the approach of pawsteps. But we both heard the voice.

"How long have you two been doing this behind my back?"

**Oh, snap. No prizes for guessing who that is.**

**Also, just a notice about my stories in the future; I'll be updating based on interest from now on. If a chapter gets reviews, I'll write another (unless it's a finished story). But if there's a special point to it, I'll hold out on you guys until someone takes a stab at what it is.**

**Each story currently in progress will get one more chapter if I can think of one (my apologies to readers of Inside This Armor).**


	14. More to Scrub than Meets the Eye

**So, let's see what's going to happen now that the cat's out of the bag.**

**Aniu**

Kodan and I froze as if we'd been paralyzed. Then we slowly turned as one to see Scrub staring at us with a look of pain and complete betrayal on his face. His hackles were up, his eyes angry and in pain. An icicle of guilt thrust through my body, sharper than any bear's claw.

"Scrub," I began, "This isn't what it looks like."

He scowled. "It looks like you were nuzzling him and saying you loved him," he all but spat.

My ears dropped. "Please, Scrub, just let me explain."

"No, Aniu," he snapped in an uncommonly harsh tone. "_I'm_ going to explain a few things to both of you, and then you're going to know exactly what's what." He took a deep breath as if he were going to yell, and then his posture became suddenly less tense, as if something had broken inside of him.

"Aniu, I've loved you... as a friend at first, since we were cubs. You were never willing to let the status quo be, never content to sit by while the others gave me a hard time. You were always there, the friend I needed, the one wolf I could rely on. As we grew older and changed from cubs into wolves, I realized that I really and truly loved you. I wanted to be with you, to comfort and protect you in tough times the way you never stopped doing for me. I grappled with my feelings nonstop until Kava came along."

I nodded slowly, remembering all that had happened. I remembered one night when Kava had been particularly raunchy in his "affection" and Scrub had tried to stop him. The poor wolf couldn't walk properly for a week afterward. "You tried to save me," I said slowly.

"Yes, and I failed miserably," he lamented. "But the worst was yet to come. As I watched him harass you day after day and hung beck for fear of a beating, I realized that I was not good enough for you, that I didn't deserve you. What kind of alpha would I be, constantly cowering behind my mate like a cub hiding under his mother's tail? Useless, that's what kind, just like I had always been. It would take months, perhaps years in the loners' lands by myself to make me into a wolf worthy of you, and could I ever ask you to wait that long? I knew then that I couldn't be your mate, but I vowed that one day I would do something worth your love, something to return your kindness." Here he looked directly at Kodan. "Then you came to our pack."

Kodan nodded. "I did, but what does that have to do with...?"

Scrub barked. "Let me finish. Kodan, I saw in you the warrior, the male that I could never be if I were hardened by a thousand years of isolation and self-reliance. You were a champion, born and raised, a fighter, a diplomat, as fast as the wind and as strong as a bull moose. You were a hero down to your very pads, all I could ever hope to be and more.

"I saw something else, too." Here he focused closely on us both. "You two were destined, perfect for one another. There was the same love that I harbored for you when I was a cub, Aniu, coming to and from you both. I realized that it could become the passion I felt as a wolf. The only question was how to make it happen."

Kodan's voice spiked. "You mean you were... setting us up?"

Scrub nodded.

In spite of the fact that this liberated me from our courtship to be with Kodan, I was stunned. "Scrub, you lied to me?"

He shook his head earnestly. "Not about my feelings for you," he assured me. "Everything I said was true; I did love you, and I did want to be your mate. Still, I knew I wasn't the one who should have you. Kodan is."

"You could have just _said_ something," I fairly snapped.

He shook his head. "Your relationship had to be tested," he explained. "A dog being with the next in line would have caused even more controversy than we did. You two needed to know that this was something from your hearts, not just my suggestion. So I chose to test you with the worst persecutors you would ever face: yourselves."

In spite of my confusion, I realized that this was something I had never seen in Scrub before. For all his physical weaknesses, he was a keen judge of character with a mind as sharp as broken ice. That, unfortunately, only served to make him more appealing, and less, which added to the turmoil inside of me.

"Do I get a say in this?" asked Kodan.

Scrub looked at him. "Do you really care enough about Aniu enough to give up your life for her happiness?"

Kodan looked like he didn't know what to say, and I realized that he had been saying he would do that very thing. "Yes, yes I do," he admitted at last.

At last Scrub smiled. "Then you do get a say, but don't tell me. Tell her."

Kodan looked at me, embarrassed, and our eyes met. "Aniu, I... I only want this if you do," he stammered. "I won't have anything to do with this if you don't agree."

My throat felt as if it were tied up in knots for the longest time. At last I answered, "I think I should talk to my parents about this."

"I already told them," Scrub explained. "They've been a part of this from the start. I'm not the brightest wolf around, but I'm not fool enough to play games with your heart without asking them."

"I should have known," Kodan grumbled under his breath.

Later I would look back and remember that when my mother encouraged me, she had never mentioned Scrub's name, only a male who loved me more than life itself. Kodan was all that and more; he had proven it. I felt so stretched inside, like an animal skin being used for tug-of-war by so many cubs. I wanted to cry, to laugh, to embrace him, to run away, but in the end I just stood where I was. Finally I turned toward Scrub. "What about you?" I asked.

He smiled. "I'll be fine," he promised. "I'll stick around long enough to see you two get married, then I'll go out and find a life of my own, and a mate too, I hope, when I'm strong enough to be the wolf she'll need."

Both of them looked to me for a decision. I felt as though my head and my heart would burst. "I can't choose between the two of you," I confessed. "I love you both."

"Then I will make my own choice," Scrub answered. "I choose to not stand in the way of two who are ready to commit to one another."

I realized that both of us were looking at Kodan now for his decision. "Alright," he said, wilting under the attention, "I said I only wanted it if you did, so here's what I have to say. Aniu, daughter of Sequoia and Nina, would you, uh... could I have... no, that's not it."

I had to smile at his bumbling. This was happening so fast that no one could reasonaly expect my heart to keep up with it all. Yet deep down I knew that eventually y emotions would settle down, would fall in love with what I understood to be the only answer there was, the answer which I truly wanted most anyway. "Yes," I said at last. "I will be yours, Kodan."

We two embraced, and as if from another world I could hear Scrub saying, "My work here is done."

Kodan paused to smile at Scrub. "Buddy, I don't think I can ever thank you, but I sure hope you get what you're looking for when you leave the pack. You deserve it." He threw back his head and let out a long, triumphant howl, then turned to me, his eyes watering and dancing at the same time. "Let's go tell your folks."

"At this hour?" I asked incredulously.

He smiled. "I can't wait to tell them. I literally can't wait. Now that we're finally engaged, I want the whole world to know. I've never felt more alive!"

I could see it in every inch of his handsome figure, every hair of his beaming face. The truth was, I felt almost as excited as he. The weight of doubt was completely gone, the joy of the moment undiluted. "Alright," I agreed, "Let's."

"You coming, Scrub?" asked Kodan.

Scrub winked at us. "Not just yet. I think I'll give you two some space while you share the good news with the others."

I started to walk away with Kodan, then realized there was something I should do. I ran back to Scrub and quickly touched my tongue to his forehead; a grateful kiss, but not a romantic one. "Thank you," I told him. "I still feel mixed up inside, but that will pass. You've done more for me than I could ask from anyone, even a mate."

He smiled. "I guess we're finally even then," he said. "Now go, your fiance is waiting."

I went back to Kodan and fell into step beside him. "So," he asked, feigning envy and deliberately doing a bad job of it. "Do I get one of those too?"

I smiled, deciding to be coy with him for now. The whole thing was strange and new to me, but I knew without a doubt I would come to like it in due time. No, not like it. Love it.

"Be patient," I teasingly reprimanded him. "The time for marriage ceremonies is only two weeks away."

**Well, I guess you just never know with some wolves, do you? A lot of people have the view these days that relationships are about feelings and romance, but real love always carries with it a facet of sacrifice. Both Kodan and Scrub were willing to give up what they wanted for the sake of what would make Aniu happy, and more importantly what was in her best interests.**

**So, now Aniu is finally with the guy she's _supposed_ to be with, and everyone's happy. What could go wrong?**

**Future chapters will rely more on the original White Legend from Balto Source. And I just lost The Game.**


	15. The Pack's Opinion

**Well, I'm pleased with all the feedback I got on that last chapter. Not to worry, there won't be an easy "happily ever after" finish here, as you'll soon see.**

* * *

**Kodan**

If there's anything more awkward than trying to explain why your fiance was someone else's lady yesterday and yours today, I've never had to face it and hope I never do. We tried to keep it quiet at first, but it was only a matter of time before someone noticed that Scrub was suddenly not as close to Aniu as he had been.

"She must have come to her senses and dumped him," I overheard one female wolf whispering to another a few days later.

The second one nodded. "She must have gotten knocked on the head during that big fight if she was willing to even talk to the loser."

"No, she was nice to him before that. She's too soft, that's her problem."

"That isn't true," I interrupted.

They both looked at me as if I had sprouted antlers. "What makes you so sure?" one of them challenged.

"Yes, and since when were you part of this conversation?" added the other.

I answered both with a scowl. "If it concerns her then I already am involved, and that goes for Scrub."

"Huh," snorted one. "Just who do you think you are, their bodyguard?"

"What's going on?" asked Aniu, joining me.

"Oh, look who's here. We were just talking about you."

"They were talking about your separation from Scrub," I explained.

Aniu kept her face neutral. "I don't see how that concerns them."

The taller of the two wolves squinted a little. "Don't you? You're the heiress. Everything you do effects all us. Who you pick for a mate and how you get along with him concerns all of us."

"So you gossip about it among yourselves to solve the problem?" she challenged them sharply. "Anyway, you might as well know that I am not going to marry Scrub. The entire engagement was a kindly ruse on his part to help me find the one I will marry. My betrothed now is a seasoned warrior and a proven hunter, a fair judge and a wise friend who will lead the pack well."

Noticing that her tone was drawing a crowd, I wondered if this was the best time or place to spill the beans. I think Aniu felt the same, but there was no way out now.

"So who is this prize mate he set you up with?" someone asked amidst the growing chatter.

"I am," I replied.

Everyone fell quiet at that.

"Okay, let me see if I got this right," said one of the she-wolves. "First you were engaged to the puniest guy in the pack, and now you're going with a dog who can't even pick out a mate for himself?"

"It wasn't like that," Aniu insisted, leaping onto a rock. "Kodan and I were friends, and we both needed some help to realize where it could lead. If he's as dense as you're saying, then so am I. And maybe Scrub isn't as tough as the rest of us, but he has more sense and kindness than all of you combined."

Sequoia seemed to materialize at my side. "I think someone needs to remind them what I said about speaking ill of you," he murmured to me out of the corner of his mouth.

"Wait," I hissed. "If I always have to have someone defending me, that will just prove them right. With all respect, alpha, I should speak on my own behalf."

He glanced at me and nodded in admiration. "Scrub was right. You do have some tooth in you."

I put myself between Aniu and her mockers. "Alright," I barked, "Maybe I'm a little biased, but I think Aniu has made it clear that I'm her choice. Besides, what do you care? You females, doesn't her choosing me leave the more desirable bachelors for you if you want them? As for you males, give up already. Most of you are off her list already."

In response to further sneering and several snide remarks, I gave a harsh bark. "Alright! If anyone wants to make a case against me, get down off your tall rocks and let's settle it one on one, right now. Anyone willing to fight as bravely as they talk?"

"Kodan, don't," Aniu urged from behind me. "You can't face them in a fight."

I have to admit I was worried, especially when Taro came forward. "I'll take your challenge," he growled. "I've backed you this far, but you're getting too big for your fur."

Aniu stepped between us. "Both of you, stop this! You're behaving like a pair of cubs!"

"Step aside, Aniu," Taro growled. Then he added something I couldn't hear, but apparently she could. Her expression lightened for a moment, then grew stern.

"Alright. It's your right to take him up on his challenge, but I'm not marrying you even if you do win." She turned to me and made a show of nuzzling my cheek. Then under her breath, she relayed what he had said. My eyes grew wide.

She stepped clear of us and the fight was on. Taro and I circled, snapping our teeth at one another. "Don't make me hurt you," I bluffed.

"Hmph," he snorted. "Do your worst, cub. Let's see what you've got."

He lunged for me, and I ducked to allow him to sail over my head. He caught himself on the landing and whirled, grabbing my tail in his jaws. It was a fairly light grab, but I yelped anyway and whirled, swiping a paw against his face and knocking him loose. I jumped at him head-on and we clinched, rolling over and over in the dirt with the surrounding wolves shouting advice.

"If you were a real fighter you could beat me easily," he snarled. "Stop playacting and show me what you're made of! Fight me like you were taking down a moose, why don't you?"

This remark was met with jeers headed my way from the crowd, but I took him at his word. When he made a strike for my shoulder, I slid out of the way and put my jaws around his throat. I didn't hold him that hard because as crazy as it might seem I still didn't want to hurt him, but I still kept a firm grip. His eyes went wide and he dropped with me still on him.

The whole pack gasped as I growled through my teeth, "Had enough?"

"Yes," he gasped, "Enough."

"I can't hear you," I said.

He sucked a deep breath and howled out, "Enough!"

The other wolves started babbling at the fight they had just seen as I released him and stepped away. I knew that defeat would be a problem for him; now the other wolves would be trying to see if they could defeat him as I had done. I knew he could handle it, but I had to admit I owed him for that little tango.

"Are you alright?" asked Aniu.

I nodded. "A few bumps and bruises, but they're more than worth it just to see all those jaws hanging down. I just hope no one else decides to try taking me on."

She thought about that. "I think you'll manage," she replied. "Even with Taro letting you win you were impressive."

"Hmm, are you just saying that because I'm your fiance now?" I teased.

She shook her head. "If you really needed an answer to that," she replied, "I'd go back to plan A. Speaking of which, remember to thank Scrub for that extra touch."

I glanced toward the departing beta. "I should have known," I muttered. "Seems like everyone's pushing me toward you now."

"Is that a problem?"

I shook my head. "Nah. They might as well push water over a fall."

She smiled approvingly at the analogy. "That," she observed, "Was almost romantic."

Everything would have been perfect if not for what happened three days later.

Two days after the illness struck found me in the medicine den undergoing an inspection. As Gina looked over me from nose to tail, the scent of anxiety on her grew stronger with each passing second. "Is it that bad?" I asked.

She shook her head. "I'm afraid it's very bad," she murmured. "You've got a raging fever, and if my herbs aren't working then it can only be one thing."

"What's that?" I asked.

Gina hesitated, as if afraid to answer. "I don't know what you call it where you come from, but we wolves call it the Death Fever. It's a rare illness for which there is no cure."

"What?" I asked. "Now? I can't die now; I'm supposed to be married in three days."

Gina shook her head. "Out of the question. If you go anywhere near Aniu you run the risk of infecting her too. I'm afraid the law is clear, you'll have to leave the pack so no one else catches it, and you must leave before sundown."

I couldn't believe this. Every hair on my body, every fiber of my being, rebelled against this injustice. "Can't you do something?" I asked. "Anything at all?"

She shook her head. "Healers have tried for generations to find some way of curing the Death Fever. No one has ever survived. I'm sorry." There was a long silence before she spoke again. "Would you like me to call Aniu in so you can tell her?"

I hesitated. "No," I decided at last. "If I really do have a deadly disease, you and she had better both stay away from me."

Gina nodded. "I should have guessed you would refuse to risk her life," she acknowledged with a note of admiration. "Alright, I'll talk to her. And I'll speak to the alphas to see if there's anything we can do to help you."

It was a long, tense wait for word to get back to me. While it was waiting, I thought back over my life. My puphood, my life in Nome, my career as a sled dog. I supposed if there were an afterlife for dogs at least I would see Blizzard again soon, but it seemed so unfair to leave just when Aniu and I were on the verge of seeing all our dreams come true at last. If only there were someone...

That was when it came to me. The vet! Maybe Gina's herbs weren't enough to heal the Death Fever, but if I could just get to Nome and get treated, I might still have a fighting chance. Besides, I had nothing to lose.

When Gina returned, her expression was grim. "The alphas say they can't make any exceptions; they have to think of the pack first. They'll arrange a shelter for you a distance from the camp and supply you with meat so you can die in comfort, but that's all they can do."

I nodded. "What about Aniu?" I asked.

Gina shook her head. "Devastated, as one would think. It was all I could do to convince her not to come in here, and she insists on speaking to you from a distance when you leave."

I took a deep breath. "There's one thing I need," I told her. "I need to know when the next dogsled is likely to pass."

* * *

**Oh boy. A fatal disease and a divided relationship. What next?**


	16. In Which Aniu Makes a Hard Decision

**Once again, sorry for the prolonged delay. There have been a lot of distractions lately, but here's the latest chapter. I hope to update Steele's Return soon as well, with events not seen on Balto Source.**

**Aniu**

The news of Kodan's illness struck me to the core. My heart was still adjusting to the idea of Kodan as someone I would spend the rest of my life with, and now it looked as if that bond would never happen. Yet I had wanted it to happen. It felt as though, having considered Kodan this way, having gone through so much with him and for him, his death would break something in me, rob me of the ability to ever love again. The whole matter was more than I could bear, and I made my way numbly to the edge of camp, where Mother found me soon after.

"I'm sorry about Kodan," she said. I was grateful she hadn't asked something like "Are you alright." I wasn't. How could I be when the one wolf who loved me like no one else could was doomed to certain death?

"He's been everything to me," I said softly. "My best friend, my hopes and dreams, my betrothed... now he's going to die. It isn't right!"

Mother nuzzled me. "I know, sweetheart. Your father and I thought highly of him too. He would have made a good son-in-law."

My shoulders heaved as I allowed a small sob, the first of many, to escape. "How is this happening? Kodan doesn't deserve this. _I_ don't deserve this. It isn't right!"

"Aniu, listen to me," Mother said before I could continue my tirade. "Aniu, listen to me. I know this hurts you. It hurts me too. But how can we accept the good things we receive without also accepting the bad?"

"Would you say that if it was Father dying?!" I demanded through tears.

Mother was silent for a long moment. "Not right away," she admitted, "But I've lived long enough to know that sorrow does pass. Eventually, you will..." she trailed off, as if uncertain what to say or afraid to say it.

"Will what?" I countered. "Forget about him? Move on with my life? Mother, I couldn't forget him, and it would be unbearable to court someone else now."

Mother looked at the ground. "That wasn't what I meant. What can you do, though? The pack needs you."

"Yes," I countered bitterly. "Needs me to mother the next leader, male or female. Well it isn't going to happen. If Kodan dies, let Khoros take my place in the ascension. I'll die a maiden."

"Aniu, don't be so rash."

"Rash?" I demanded. "Rash?! I'll show you rash!" Then before she could stop me, I ran back to camp toward the medicine den. I collided with Gina as she was coming out, knocking both of us over in a heap.

"Hey, hey, what's going on here?" she asked, struggling out from under me. "What are you so worked up over?"

"I have to see Kodan," I told her, but the moment I had said it I felt her teeth in the back of my neck.

"Oh no you don't," she countered, struggling to drive me away from the den. "If you go in there, you'll get sick too!"

"I am relieving you of your duties as healer," I told her. "I'll take over; you can be a regular wolf now."

Planting herself smack in the den's mouth, she regarded me with ragged breaths and an almost scornful eye. "Don't be a fool. You don't have my knowledge of healing, or my resistance. You wouldn't last long enough."

_'But I could last long enough to spend my last days with Kodan,'_ I thought.

Mother caught up with me. "There you are!" she exclaimed. "Aniu, just what are you doing?!"

"Trying to make herself the new pack healer so she can be close to Kodan," Gina replied.

"Aniu, you know we can't allow that," Mother tried to reason with me. "And you're being very selfish about all this."

"_Selfish?"_ I demanded. "My fiance is dying and you're worried about me being-!"

Gina threw back her head and let out a deafening howl. Mother and I stopped to stare at her as she lowered her head. "Now that I have your attention, I've talked to Kodan, and he has an idea that may help."

"What idea?"

Gina gazed into the distance. "He says the human healers have a knowledge and skill far beyond my own, so much so that they seem to border on magic compared to even the best wolf healer. Diseases which we can't begin to handle, like the foaming madness, they can prevent or cure with a simple..." she trailed off, as if searching for the word. "I'm not sure, he said something about a thorn, I think."

I instantly seized on what she was getting at. "Does he think they can save his life?"

Gina looked me in the eye. "I don't want to raise false hope, Aniu. Even Kodan admits that the human healers don't always succeed, and it's doubtful he would survive the trip."

Mother nodded. "Fair enough, but he has more hope in their hands than our paws. Besides, he would have to leave the camp either way. Does he have a plan to reach the humans' territory?"

Gina nodded. "He says that if he can get one of the sled teams to pick him up, he should be able to get there in a few days at most."

"Very well," said Mother, turning to leave. "I will talk to Sequoia and assemble the scouts; between us we should be able to figure out their schedule." With that she departed.

I turned to Gina. "Thank you," I said, my voice quivering slightly. I hadn't realized how emotional I was getting.

Gina smiled. "Just doing my duty to the pack, Aniu. Besides, since I can't have cubs of my own, it helps some to ensure that others will get the chance."

I smiled back. _'Cubs,'_ I thought. It had always seemed like a distant thing, being a mother. Perhaps part of that was that I never knew any mother but my adopted one. At least mine would not have to wonder. I would make certain they knew who they were, and that both their mother and father...

Suddenly I stopped. "Gina, how far away is Kodan's town?"

She shook her head. "I'm not sure, though from what he said it would take weeks to travel there alone."

"Then how will Kodan and I...?" I asked.

"...get back together?" she replied. "I was hoping you had an answer."

"You thought of it already," I noted.

She shrugged. "It's my business to know what can go wrong."

"And how to mend it," I replied.

She seemed to deliberately look away. "There is a way," she said gravely, "But it wouldn't be wise for me to say it. You and you alone must make the choice. My skills are for the body, but your heart... that is your own domain." She crouched to enter her den, then turned to me. "I'm going to check on him now. A message from you might give him strength."

I nodded. "Tell him I love him," I said, almost whispering.

She smiled. "Certainly."

I sat for some time, thinking over what Gina had said about my and Kodan's predicament. At last I seized on the most dangerous plan there could have been. Yet in my heart, I knew it was the only way.

That night as the pack dined, I signaled Gina to come aside so we could speak unheard. "Is it safe for Kodan to be outside the den for a while?" I asked.

She considered. "Only a short time," she answered, "And he would have to be well away from the others."

That at least would be no problem. When the pack learned that Kodan had the fever, they had all avoided the healer's den like a mad wolverine. "When he has eaten, ask him to meet me on the edge of camp. I will speak with him there."

"Are you willing to risk infection?" asked Gina.

I shook my head. "I will keep my distance, but once he and I are both there I must ask you to keep the area clear for us."

She bowed her head. "Consider it done."

**So, what's Aniu cooking up now? We'll just have to wait and see…**


	17. Aniu Takes the Initiative

**Thank you for your patience. Now, let's return and see what Aniu wants.**

* * *

**Kodan**

"And that's all she said?"

Gina nodded. "Every word of it."

"Hm," I murmured as I finished the last of my dinner, some rabbit haunches and a piece of venison. Had the circumstances been anything else I'd have been eager; being with Aniu those first three days before I got sick had been nice, and meeting on the outskirts of the camp would normally be the start of a fun date. On the other paw, with me having to keep my distance, I got the feeling that the air would be less than romantic.

Which brought up another question: what did she want to talk about? Obviously something private or she could relay it through Gina. Was she just anxious to see me? My head said I would know soon enough. My heart didn't care, it wanted to know sooner. Or maybe that was my stomach; suspense had a way of making me queasy.

Gina lead me out of the den, warning other wolves to stay back. What were they thinking as they looked at me? What feelings for my condition passed behind all those yellow eyes? Disapproval? Pity? Perhaps fear? I'll probably never know, and right then I didn't really care. I just wanted to get to Aniu.

Gina left me to go on by myself once I was a safe distance from everyone. There stood Aniu on a boulder, clearly marked against the dimming sky.

"Hi," I called out.

She jumped down and stood facing me, looking more reserved than I had ever thought she could be. "Hello."

I walked further from the main camp while keeping my distance from her, then sat down. "You look nice this evening." I wanted to kick myself. _'What's wrong with you, bonehead?'_

She smiled. "Thank you."

This was ridiculous, both of us acting like nothing was going on. "You, uh, wanted to talk?"

She shuffled her paws and sat down. "Yes. It's about your departure."

I'd been dreading this. I didn't want a tearful goodbye and a lot of painful memories. Somehow I had half-dreamed of a hopeful sending off, like a soldier being sent off to war with eager expectations of trouncing the bad guys and coming home a hero. Anything but seeing her upset. "Hey, it's okay. You'll see me again."

"I know I will, because I've decided to go with you."

You could have whacked me over with a cub's tail. "What?"

"I've been thinking this over long and hard. You look enough like one of us to pass for a wolf, so if I do what you do then maybe they'll think I'm a husky too."

Thinking it over? She was out of her mind! "I can't let you do that. You could get sick, or they might figure you out and shoot you."

Her voice was as solid as her statuesque figure. "Kodan, I'm not leaving you."

"You could be killed!" I knew I sounded angry, but in truth I was upset. After all she'd done for me, I couldn't let her risk death just to be with me. "Aniu, I promise you, everything's going to be alright. I'll get fixed up and come back, and then we can have our wedding."

I tried to sound confident, but one look from her told me I wasn't fooling anyone. "You can't know that. You've said yourself that even the human healers don't always manage to succeed. Even if you got there alive there's no telling whether you'd live long enough to make it back."

I realized that I had underestimated her. She really didn't miss a thing. "Well if that happens, it happens. Better for one of us to die than both."

She planted her paw firmly in front of her. "I'd rather die than spend the rest of my life not knowing. Think about it. If something happened to you I'd have no way of knowing. I'd grow old waiting, hoping, praying for you to come back, but you never would."

I nodded. "Or you might find someone else and become his mate only to have me turn up again."

She shook her head. "I could never let that happen."

I took a deep breath. Well, Blizzard always used to say that in relationships you had to learn to admit it when you were wrong. Still I was anxious that she remain well. "Have you at least talked to your parents about this?"

"Not yet, but they couldn't talk me out of it if they tried."

I nodded. She did have a point there. Besides, they had been part of the plot to set us up together in the first place. "You know I'd worry about you."

"You'd worry about me while you were gone anyway. You _are_ practically my husband after all; it's kind of your job to look out for me."

"Yes, but to have you following me to the ends of the earth, probably the end of your life too, just to be with me?" I asked, half-knowing the irony of what she would say to that. She didn't disappoint me.

"That's my job."

I smiled despite the circumstances. I'd gotten to know her much too well, and I liked it. "For someone with a deadly illness, I'm the luckiest dog alive."

She smiled too. "I feel the same way."

Both of us sat in silence for a long moment. The night was so still, the moment so perfect, as if we had just said our "I do's" as the humans say it. If being betrothed felt like this, Heaven only knew what it would be like once we were finally together. "It feels like we should kiss," I said at last.

She tilted her head. "Are you suggesting we should?"

"No, no," I shook my head quickly. "Even if you are coming with me, there's no sense taking chances of getting you sick if we can help it."

She nodded, although from her ears she seemed just a bit disappointed. "Mother always did say I should choose a mate with sense, but you owe me once you've recovered."

I reflected that if time together was what she felt I owed her, I would be only too glad to repay her in full, and with plenty of interest.

* * *

**So, it seems they have a plan. What could go wrong now?**

**Like there's any need to ask.**


End file.
